A Birthday

Hi!  I'm back! Man, what a crazy crazy start to summer it's been around here.  We've had guest after guest from all corners of the country, the end of the school year, internships, projects, swimming lessons, summer reading, 5ks,  etc, etc, etc.  But, I am attempting to get back to my blog, as hard as it is to be inside on the computer when it's sunny out :)

The biggest event of the past few weeks was my daughter's 4th birthday party.  Her special day fell on Memorial Day this year, so we had a combo party and bbq.  It was a lot of fun!  We set up the badminton net, had good eats and brews and even some yummy girly drinks courtesy of my friend Tara!  Thanks Tara!  And Tara, my next post will have that potato salad recipe, just for you!

My beautiful birthday girl!

She got some new wheels!

Here's a pic of Big Sister's "My Little Pony" cake. This was the easiest birthday cake I've created so far and she loved it! It was chocolate strawberry and we just barely had enough for everyone! Phew!

It was so simple to make.  I took a basic chocolate cake recipe, or you could use a cake mix, and cooked it in two round cake pans.  Once they were totally cooled I spread the bottom layer with strawberry jam before adding the top layer.  I like doing this with layered cakes rather than using frosting.  It cuts the sweetness a bit and gives it an extra little something.  Then I frosted with strawberry flavored frosting in a can, which my daughter begged for!  Then I sprinkled the entire cake with pink sugar crystals and decorated with these adorable 3d edible butterflies and flowers that I found at a craft store (Hobby Lobby??)  Then we added her favorite pony, "Rainbow Dash" (favorite because she's a PEGASUS!!!) and finished it off with candles.  I tell you what, making a themed cake this way by sticking a toy on top is soooo much easier than the purple dinosaur and green alligator with babies I made last year for their birthdays:

You can find directions for the crocodile cakes at here.  To make the cupcakes we just frosted them with the same green frosting, cut the apple rings in half and added smaller versions of the marshmallow eyes.

I love making fun cakes for my kids' birthdays.  They are fun, creative, challenging at times, and best part-the kids love them.  I love that something as simple as a birthday cake can be such a labor of love, a real gift from the heart.  Making food that makes people smile and creates memories is why I love to cook!

Apple Pie Muffins

I've been trying to stock-pile my freezer lately with some good staples and breakfast items that I can pull out for a quick meal and not have to reach for a can or a box of cereal.  So far I've whipped up a double batch of Best Ever Pancakes, which I froze and stored in a ziploc freezer bag.  Yesterday I made freezer cinnamon rolls from Money Saving Mom.  You can find that recipe here.  I also made a big batch of black beans and froze them in 2 cup portions (about equal to one can of beans) so they will be ready to use whenever we need them.

Today I made these muffins.  When you're ready to eat them, you can either pull them out of the freezer the night before and they'll be defrosted when you wake up, or you can pop them in the microwave for up to 1 min (watch them, they heat up quickly!) and smother them with butter..mmmmm....

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2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups diced apples           

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375.  Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups.               

In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 cup melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar until sugar has dissolved. Pour into the flour mixture and sprinkle the diced apple into the bowl as well. Stir just until everything is blended. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups to the top.               

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour and cinnamon. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of melted butter while tossing with a fork until well blended. Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.    

Enjoy them now or let them cool on a wire rack and then freeze in freezer bags.            

Über Moist Banana Bread

This is by far my absolute favorite banana bread recipe.  There are two things that make this bread unique.  First, it has sour cream in it which gives it an extra dose of richness and moisture.  Second, the bananas are sliced so you get these big bursts of creamy banana goodness.  I use pecans or walnuts, depending on what I have.  Lately I've been making individual sized "loaves" using 2 muffin tins.  These are just the right size for my kids to have for a snack.  I sprinkle the nuts on top rather than mixing into the batter which makes them look pretty and is easy for my daughter to pick off. :)

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1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 medium bananas, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan, mini loaf pan (4 loaves) or 2 muffin tins.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 60 minutes for a large loaf, 30-40 for mini loaves or 20-25 mins. for muffins.  Do the toothpick test to see if they are done for sure. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Blueberry Creme Muffins

Is there anything yummier for a quick breakfast than a fresh blueberry muffin?  The secret to these delicious bites is the sour cream :)

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4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream
2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.  Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ever since my sister-in-law gave me a breadmaker for my birthday I've been LOVING the dough setting.  We make homemade pizza a lot now.  And it's great- we save money, we know exactly what's going in and on it, and the kids can make their own.  Our favorite around these parts is ham and pineapple.  Big Sister does her best Ponyo impersonation, "I want HAAAM!" and laughs hysterically. :)  This recipe makes a great pizza crust that has a higher whole wheat to white flour ratio than most, but you'd never know it.  It's really is awesome crust.  Sometimes I'll add in some hemp seeds or ground flax seed to sneak some extra healthy into my fam.  Shhh!  Don't tell!  I've included directions for the bread machine and the old fashioned way if you don't have a sis-in-law to spoil you.

My pizzas never look beautiful so I borrowed this pic from this blog.  Don't you just want to rip a piece right out of your computer and devour it??

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1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. white flour
1 Tbs. active dry yeast

If you're using the bread maker, just put these things in the order listed above into your machine and choose the dough setting.  Then see assembly instructions below.

If you're doing it the old fashioned way:

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.      
         
Assembling the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.               

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

Baja Style Fish Tacos

When my husband and I lived in Southern California we used to love to go to Rubios for fish tacos.  Since moving up north we've tried our best to recreate their tacos.  This isn't quite the same, but it's darned close.  We eat this about every couple of weeks because it is has the culinary trifecta- fast, easy and delicious!

1 box whole fish fillet fish sticks
corn tortillas
mayonnaise and plain yogurt in equal proportions
shredded cabbage
salsa fresca (don't use jarred salsa, it just won't be as good!)
limes

Prepare white sauce:  mix mayo and yogurt together in equal amounts to create the famous Rubios sauce.  The amounts will depend on how many mouths you're feeding.

Warm enough corn tortillas for your family in the oven or microwave following the directions on the package.  Most taquerias double up the tortillas to hold in all the saucy goodness.  If you're like me, you can just use a single to save on calories, but beware the taco blowout. :) 

Cook the fish in the oven following the manufacturers instructions.  If you're using small sticks you'll need about 3 per taco.  Bigger filets you can get away with 1 or 2 depending on how big they are.

Place fish in tortillas and top with cabbage, white sauce and salsa fresca.  Drizzle with lime juice and tapatio if you want a little more kick.  ¡Delicioso!

Blueberry Lemon Shortbread

I had a major urge to bake something yesterday purely just to have something to do, but I had no desire to get out of my jammies and head to the store, so I dug through my cook books and found a recipe for raspberry lemon bars that I adapted using what I had on hand.  It made a large pan so I wrapped up half of them and brought them by the high school where my husband teaches for his coworkers to snack on during the day.  It makes me feel so good to share some homemade goodness when people least expect it...and it keeps me from eating all of it!  Of course, Little Brother had to sample them first to make sure they were good :)

1 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. blueberries (I used frozen that I thawed ahead of time)
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.  For the shortbread crust, beat butter with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds.  Add the 3/4 c. powdered sugar and beat until combined.  Add the 2 cups flour and beat until well mixed.  Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 20 min. until golden.

Meanwhile make the filling:  Combine eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, zest, 1/4 c. flour and baking powder in large mixing bowl.  Beat for 2 min. with electric mixer till combined.  When crust comes out of oven, sprinkle berries over the top then carefully pour the filling over that.  Arrange berries evenly with a spoon if they moved around on you.

Put back into the oven and bake another 30-35 mins. until light brown and filling has set.  Cut into bars.  Just before serving dust with powdered sugar. 

These don't keep long- keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.  Or you can cut and freeze them up to 1 month.  Thaw in the refridgerator.  I don't think you'll have to worry about them going long.  I'd be surprised if they lasted 2 days anywhere!

Tacos in Pasta Shells

I have definitely been on a Mexican food kick.  Maybe because the sun has finally come out??  I made these for my husband's birthday dinner last week and they were a huge hit with young and old.  Little Brother ate 2 shells to himself!  Big sister, picky gal that she is, had 2 EMPTY shells and a pile of refried beans and rice.  Oh well.  I know she'll appreciate my cooking someday.  :)

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1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
4 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
18 jumbo pasta shells
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup taco sauce
2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend, or half and half cheddar and jack cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
sour cream and salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add cream cheese, salt and chili powder; mix and simmer for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Set shells out on a cutting board so they don't touch and stick together.

Fill shells with beef mixture and arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish; pour taco sauce over shells. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Remove dish from oven and top with  cheese and tortilla chips; return dish to oven to cook for 15 minutes more.               

Serve with a salad or rice and beans. 

Cold Bug Destroyer Smoothie

When I was in college there was a Jamba Juice near my work and whenever I got a cold, or just felt run down with all of the classes, work, cramming, midnight study sessions (and maybe a bit of partying thrown in there, too. :) ) I would get a berry smoothe with antioxidant boost and I always felt better within a day or so.  There isn't a Jamba Juice where I live now, so I've had to figure out my own antioxidant blend.  This smoothie also boasts a bit of silken tofu for protien (I promise you won't even know it's there!) to keep you fuller, longer.  I think that eating right is one of the best ways that we can keep our bodies working in top form. So if you find yourself curled up on the couch with a box of kleenex, give this smoothie a whirl and you should be back on your feet in no time! 

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1 c. ice cubes
1/2 c. blueberries
1/2 c. blackberries (frozen fruit is fine and a lot cheaper this time of year!)
1/4 c. drained silken tofu
2 Tbs. acai or pomegranite juice
2 tsp. agave nectar or honey
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon or cardamom

Put everything in your blender in this order and blend on high until smooth.  If you're using frozen fruit you can reduce the ice to 3/4 cup.

Sweet n' Tangy Cocktail Weenies

I made this recipe a few weeks ago for my monthly book club get together.  They were a big hit!  The recipe comes from Cooking on Clover Lane which is the sister-blog to my all time favorite blog, Clover Lane .  She and I think very much alike about life and motherhood.  She has a wonderful way with words and expresses her thoughts so beautifully.  I really hope you check out her site!

Back to the recipe- I followed everything exactly per her directions, but it seemed really saucy for my liking, so I think next time I'll cut the sauce ingredients in half and keep the weenie amount the same.  Or maybe she just uses a bigger package of Lil' Smokies than I did.  Photo and recipe comes courtesy of the link above.

I had a few leftovers, so I stuck them in some leftover hamburger buns and fed them to the kids for lunch the next day.  They loved it! Sort of a hotdog-sloppy joe fusion. :)

1 bottle chili sauce

1 jar red currant jelly

4 TBS brown sugar

1 package Lil Smokies Sausages

Mix first three ingredients on stove over low heat.  Add sausages.  Heat through till hot.

Serve.

Award Winning Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom gave me this recipe quite a few years ago and it has become my favorite go-to cookie recipe when the kids and I need a sweet fix.  The secret ingredient is pudding mix.  It keeps the cookies soft and chewy.  The original recipe called for vanilla pudding and regular chocolate chips, but I decided to mix it up at use chocolate pudding mix and white chocolate chips because it's what I had on hand and they were so good I might make them this way all the time! 

The kids love to help me bake, and are great about taking turns running the mixer.  Big Sister has an aversion to clothing and hair brushing these days, which is why she looks like she's being raised by wolves!  I really do bathe them! :)

We decided to send a dozen of these to their gramma for her birthday. She'll be so excited!

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.               

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be just barely golden.               

Other pudding/chip combos to try:

Butterscotch chips & pudding
Vanilla pudding w/ semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pistachio pudding w/ pistachios
Chocolate pudding w/ mint or peanut butter chips.

Feel free to play around with the flavor combinations.  I'd love to hear what other combos you come up with!

BBQ Beef Biscuit Cups

I found this recipe quite a while ago on allrecipes.com and it's become a family favorite.  I typically try to not cook with a lot of processed foods, but these are super easy, really tasty and a huge hit with the kids!  They come together really quickly and are made with stuff you most likely have on hand.  Sometimes we have it for lunch with apple slices or for a quick dinner with a side salad.  Sometimes when I make it I have some leftover filling, so I usually buy an extra tube of biscuits just in case.   You could also use any leftovers as sloppy joe filling, or throw it on some tortilla chips (bbq nachos?) I think they'd also freeze/reheat well but I haven't actually tried it.  We never have any left! :)

1 pound ground beef chuck
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 c. bbq sauce
1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 8 muffin cups. In a large frying pan, brown the meat, onions and garlic powder till browned.  Drain off the grease. Stir in the bbq sauce and simmer for another 3 mins.  Roll out each biscuit on a floured surface till they are about 6 inches across. Put the biscuit in the muffin tin and fold up sides to create a cup shape. Fill each biscuit almost to the top with the meat mixture; top with cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven until biscuits are baked, cheese is melted and tops are golden brown, about 15 mins.

Dawn's Divine Caramel Corn

A good friend, fellow teacher and yoga student of mine makes this absolutely delectable caramel corn.  It is soft and chewy, and you just can't stop eating it.  I hope you give it a try!

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3 bags of microwave popcorn, popped
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
2 sticks of butter, cubed
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Put popcorn in a large bowl, taking care to remove all unpopped kernels. Spread out a large sheet of waxed paper or aluminum foil. Melt sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup together in a saucepan over med-high heat until just boiling. Add butter and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it is boiling, continue to stir and boil for 3 mins. The butter will begin to incorporate as it boils. After 3 min. remove from heat and add vanilla and baking powder. Mixture will foam up.  Don't worry, this is normal. Pour caramel over popcorn, stirring to coat. Spread caramel corn onto waxed paper or foil to cool. Serves 8

Best Ever Pancakes

On movie nights my family and I like to do breakfast for dinner.  Tonight I whipped up these delicious pancakes.  I pour them free-hand into shapes on the griddle (mickey mouse, initials, an unsucessful lightning bolt) just like my Grandma used to do for me.   Even if they don't look very pretty, the kids love it.  Don't let the vinegar in the recipe throw you off.  It mixes with the milk to make a sort of buttermilk.  It also reacts with the baking soda in the recipe so you get nice fluffy pancakes.  We usually have some leftovers whenever we make pancakes. I just put them in the fridge and pop them in the toaster the next morning. If you've never tried a toasted pancake before, you should. They get crispy on the outside like a waffle and are delicious! 

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1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

cooking spray

Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to turn to "buttermilk". 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg, vanilla and butter into milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.     

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.  This makes enough to feed 4-6 hungry folks.