It's the most wonderful time of the year....and busiest, too!

Finally, I'm here and ready to blog.  I know, I win no awards for keeping on top of this as planned.  What can I say, we've been playing everything by ear lately around here.  I can't say that I enjoy not having more of a plan for meals as well as the regular day to day activities, but it is what it is and I know once all of the holiday hustle and bustle is over, we'll be able to get back to our "normal."

I didn't have too much shopping to do this year out in the stores, I've discovered that I really do enjoy shopping online for Christmas gifts!  The things I absolutely had to go out and get, I got early so didn't have to fight the crowds too much.  THRILLED about that!  Now, I'll have to be a good little elf and finish wrapping everything before Christmas Eve rolls around so I can spend it relaxing with my family.

I have spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen over the last week.  I tried baking a different type of cookie every day for hubby to take to work with him and also for the neighbors.  I enjoy it so much and am so happy that I can share them with lots of people who seem to enjoy them!

We had a little Christmas party here last week with some of the folks Gene works with. Kate and I spent two days in the kitchen cooking and preparing (two days because on the planned day for all the cooking and prep work...our subdivision had a water line break and we had no water for at least 7 hours...slowed things down a bit.  LOL).  We had such a fun night; even Kate stayed downstairs with us all the entire time.  So happy to be entertaining again!  It's one of my most favorite things to do!

I'm taking a break from baking and appetizer making this week (with the exception of the cheesecake I'll make for hubby's birthday).  Keeping meals simple and quick and then will be back at it for our Christmas dinner.  It will only be the three of us here, but I am still making our traditional Christmas dinner, slightly scaled down, of course. 

Thought that I would share a few recipes for some of the appetizers that Kate and I made for the Christmas party.  Everything seemed to be a hit and there were barely any left overs!  Also thought I'd share a few pictures of "the spread."  If I don't get on here again before this weekend, I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites

*8 chicken tenders, flattened and cut in half
*3 oz pkg cream cheese
*jalapeno pepper, seeded, rinsed and diced
*8 slices of bacon, cut in half
~Dab 1/2 tsp (aprx) of cream cheese on top of each chicken tender.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp (aprx) of the jalapeno over cream cheese.  Roll chicken to enclose cream cheese & peppers.  Wrap each roll in a slice of bacon.  Secure with a toothpick.  Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes on each side, so chicken cooks through and bacon crisps.

** On a side note, I found these to be a bit bland (I didn't use as much of the jalapeno as called for) so I served them with raspberry habanero sauce for dipping.  Where can you get such a sauce, you may ask....LOL  from me, it's a Pampered Chef item.  ;)  Shameless plug, I know....  If you didn't want to get the raspberry habanero sauce, I'm sure you could heat up some raspberry jam.

Game Day Party Mix (a yummy Pampered Chef recipe)

*4 cups crispy corn and rice cereal
*1 cup miniature pretzel twists
*1cup Goldfish cheddar crackers
*1/4 cup butter, melted
*1small clove garlic
*1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
*1 pkg buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
*1 pk butter microwave popcorn

~Heat oven to 350.  In large baking bowl or pan, combine cereal, pretzels and Goldfish crackers.  Press garlic into melted butter then drizzle over cereal mixture, stirring to coat.
~Grate Parm. cheese over cereal mixture and sprinkle with dressing mix.  Stir gently.
~Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove baking bowl from oven.  Prepare popcorn according to package directions.  Carefully stir popcorn into warm cereal mixture.  Let stand in bowl for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. 

**We LOVE this and make it often for parties and special occasions!  A nice change from your typical Chex Mix.


Creamy Almond Bars (got this yummy one from my friend, Erin)

Crust
2 cups flour
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Filling
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
Frosting
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 TBS milk
1 tsp almond extract
sliced almonds (to sprinkle on after frosted)

*Mix and press crust ingredients into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
*Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add the rest of ingredients for the filling and beat until just mixed.  Pour over crust. Bake for another 15 minutes.
*Once cooled, mix all ingredients for frosting.  Frost, slice then sprinkle with sliced almonds.  Store in fridge.

Enjoy!

It's cookie time!

Well, I've not posted a menu because it's been such a busy time around here, I've been "winging it" or we've all been fending for ourselves.  I had my Pampered Chef Holiday Open House this past weekend and did a lot for that...but who feels like cooking a meal after spending two days in the kitchen?  Not this girl...not this past weekend, anyway.  I'm still recovering from whatever crud hit me two weeks ago and I was just plain tired.  Thank goodness for left-overs!  :)

Last night I did cook.  I made a smoked ham with pineapple/Dijon sauce, garlic green beans, and creamed corn.  It felt good to have a nice meal on the table and sit down as a family again.  I love sitting around the table with my little family and just chit chatting about whatever comes to mind.

Tonight I am trying my Meme's recipe for Taco Soup.  She raves about it and has sent me the recipe several times over the past two years...it's time that I give it a try!  I will have to run to the grocery store to get some ingredients for it.  I'll do that later this morning.

I'm getting a LATE start, but am finally going to start my Christmas baking today!  I think I will will two different types of cookies today, Sour Cream Sugar Cookies and Old Fashioned Pumpkin Cookies.  YUM!

I'll get back on track with the menu one of these days.  For now, please check out this recipe.  These cookies are so yummy and such a hit when I take them places!  Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture. Mix well. Drop about 1 1/2 - 2 rounded tsp. (original recipe calls for rounded TBS, but I made mine smaller...perfect bite sized cookies!) onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 15 - 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 2 minutes. Drizzle with glaze.
Glaze: 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 TBS milk, 1 TBS melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until smooth

A few receipes that are family & friend tested and approved

Hello once again.  I have no menu made up for this coming week yet.  This past week didn't quite go as planned (no complaints from me, we ended up at Cracker Barrel one of the crazy nights and I LOVE their chicken and dumplings and on Friday we enjoyed left overs from Thanksgiving!).  I have hamburger thawing right now so I can make the onion burgers tonight and I believe tomorrow I'll do the Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup...we'll see.  I think it's supposed to get pretty warm outside tomorrow, may not be soup weather.

Yesterday I made the Cilantro Lime Slow Cooked Chicken for dinner and it was not only super easy, but quite tasty, too!  I did a little baking, too...Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.  They are moist and tasty little buggers, but a tad sweet, so may be better as a dessert rather than breakfast.

I hope to have a menu planned out within the next couple of days and who knows, I may be starting some holiday cookies to send into work with the hubster, so may have some cookie recipes to share....  

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 over - ripe bananas
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 - 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Lightly spray 12 muffin liners with non-stick spray.  With a mixer mash bananas.  Add egg and sugars.  Mix well.  Blend in milk.  Slowly add the flour, salt and baking soda.  Mix until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Fill muffin liners evenly with batter.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.  

Cilantro Lime Slow Cooked Chicken (from Pinterest)

In a slow cooker mix one 24 oz jar of mild or medium salsa, juice from one lime, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, one package taco seasoning, 2 chopped and seeded jalapeno peppers (I only used one).  Add 4 - 6 chicken breast halves, carefully stir to coat with salsa mixture.Cover and cook on low 6 - 8 hours.   Serve chicken with salsa mixture spooned over it.

*My chicken was not completely thawed when I added it to the crock pot and the mixture was very liquid"y" which we liked a lot.  I made brown rice and served the chicken and salsa mixture over that.  Also added a bit of sour cream and shredded extra shard cheddar cheese on top of each serving...so good!!!

Enjoy!

German night!

So dinner tonight was FANTASTIC!  The hubby cooked dinner tonight and had the house smelling sooooo good!  We loved our time in Germany and have certain dishes that we learned how to make while there and this if one of our favorites...and my dear hubby has mastered it! 


Along with the beef rouladen we also had red cabbage with apples and Knodel...some sort of dumpling...and gravy.


Here is the approximate recipe for the rouladen.  I know..it may not sound appealing, but believe me, it is delicious!  I don't like pickles or mustard...but in this...well, they make the dish!


Beef Rouladen


*2.5 lbs thin round steaks (you can use flank steaks, may have to pound them to about 1/4 inch thickness)
*1 lb bacon
*2 onions, thinly sliced
*1 carrot, shredded
*2 tsp parsley, chopped
*2 TBS prepared yellow mustard
* 2 - 3 pickles sliced thinly, longways
*4 TBS butter
*2 TBS flour
*2 packs of brown gravy mix (this is optional, we like extra gravy)
salt, pepper and paprika


Flatten steak and pound if necessary.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix mustard, parsley, carrot and onion in bowl, set aside. Place bacon strips in even layers on steaks, then line with pickle slices and mustard mixture.  Roll each steak up and tie with butchers twine.  Season flour with a bit of salt, pepper and paprika.  Roll the "rouladen" in flour mixture.  Melt butter in large frying pan or electric skillet.  slowly add rouladen, slowly brown on all sides.add about an inch of water to pan, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  At this point, the rouladen is ready to serve, however, this is when we make the gravy...you can make it totally from scratch with the drippings, but I find it tastes pretty yummy and it's so much easier to push the rouladen to the side of the pan and add two packets of McCormick Brown gravy mix along with a bit over 2 cups of water, whisking constantly until all lumps are gone.  Then we spread the rouladen back out and let it cook in the gravy for another 5 minutes or so.


~Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving week! Gobble Gobble!

Well, guess what, it's Sunday and as promised, I'm here, menu for the upcoming week in hand and ready to post!  As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, and this week I'm going to used 3 recipes that I have "pinned" on my Pinterest site.  I'm telling you...if you haven't yet, you MUST check it out!

Before I get to our menu and the one recipe I've chosen to post, I'd like to wish everyone a very happy, blessed and safe Thanksgiving.  I know in the past year soooo many friends and family members have had life altering "events" happen to them, around them, involving them...we did too...I hope that we all can take at least one day to sit back, reflect and be grateful for all that we have.  Too many times so many of us take "the little things" for granted and many times it's those "little things" that mean the most in our lives.

Monday 11/21 ~ Home made macaroni and cheese, Panera style  with a simple tossed salad

Tuesday 11/22 ~ Cilantro lime chicken with Mexican rice and veggie of some sort

Wednesday 11/23 ~ Cheese tortellini, steamed mixed veggies and garlic bread

Thursday 11/24 ~  Happy Thanksgiving!  We are going to our friend's for what is sure to be a huge and yummy feast!

Friday 11/25 ~ Pan grilled onion burgers, french fries and veggie of some sort

Saturday 11/26 ~ Slow cooker baked potato soup with home made white bread

Sunday 11/27 ~ Yo-yo day (for those who do not know...I took this "term" from my good friend a long time ago...Yo-yo days mean...."you're on your own"...usually I end up making something, though or we chow on left overs)

And this is one of the dishes I'll be taking to our friend's house for Thanksgiving.  It's super yummy...could be a side or even a dessert.  You decide.  

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Crisp

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 can  (40 oz.) cut sweet potatoes, drained

3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided

1/4 tsp.  ground cinnamon

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

2/3 cup  chopped cranberries

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup  old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/3 cup cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup  chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cream cheese, potatoes, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon with mixer until well blended. Spoon into 1-1/2-qt. casserole; top with fruit.

MIX flour, oats and remaining sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle over fruit.

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until heated through

HAD to post this right away...it is just THAT good!

So today I followed through and made the eggplant Parmesan as planned (off to a good start...LOL) and as a treat, I decided to bake a cake.  I pulled this recipe from my hand painted recipe box packed full of my dear Meme's (my grandmother) recipes, all written in her handwriting, about a week ago...kept looking at it and thinking "AH  It's too warm" or "I don't want to clean up the mess" or "that will not be good for trying to loose weight."  Well, I caved in...today, my sweet tooth won and I made the cake.  Just before dinner, Gene, Kate and I all tried just a bite and I thought to myself "WHAT IN THE WORLD TOOK ME SO LONG!"  This cake is FAB U LOUS!  So good that I had to hop on the laptop and post the recipe!  I think it is great on it's own, but I do have some whipped cream to squirt on it (yea...didn't feel ambitious enough to make home made whipped cream)...vanilla bean ice cream would yummy too.  Hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we are going to!  Insert winky face here.


Loretta Free's Apple Cake (courtesy of Meme Bair)


1/2 cup Crisco
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar


Heat oven to 350 degrees.


Cream about ingredients until light and fluffy.  Add 2 1/2 cups sifted flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. baking powder.  Mix well.   Add 1 cup milk.  Stir until well blended.  Fold in 2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples.  Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.


Chop about 3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts).  Stir 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 3 TBS sugar into pecans.  Sprinkle evenly over top of cake. 


Bake about 45 minutes, or until knife or toothpick comes out clean.


Enjoy!!

And this week's menu...along with a Tribute Recipe

This really has been a nutty kind of week...ummm well, I guess YEAR (those of you who know us know exactly what I'm talking about!  LOL) for us.  Luckily, I did make up a meal plan BEFORE heading to the commissary on Sunday!  I have been "winging" meals for quite a long time now...it's time to get back to better meal planning, menu making and healthier eating!  I am tired of making the same ole things and I'm pretty sure that my little family is sick of eating the same ole things over and over and over again.


I will be back to having my nose in my cookbooks, recipe boxes and favorite recipe websites (for anyone who hasn't joined Pinterest..DO IT!  So many awesome ideas, recipes, etc.  I have found a ton of new recipes to try...along with ideas for the home, crafts, clothing ideas...oh, but that's for another blog...another time) in no time!  Really, it shouldn't be THAT difficult for me to get back into the swing of things..REALLY.  I am a pretty decent cook, capable of much more than I've been doing lately....oh, my poor family.  he he he


So, here is our menu this week.  Yes, it's Wednesday, I HOPE to post a new menu for next week on Sunday.  Fingers crossed...I WILL follow through!


Mon. 11/14 ~ Meme Bair's Chicken Spaghetti
Tues. 11/15 ~ Broccoli Ham Ring (Thank you Pampered Chef for that simple yet delicious recipe!)
Wed. 11/16 ~ 20-minute Barbecue Ribs (Again...Thank you Pampered Chef...these were pretty easy and equally as yummy!)
Thurs. 11/17 ~ Eggplant Parmesan, steamed veggies and garlic bread
Fri. 11/18 ~ Baked spinach & feta stuffed chicken breasts served with buttered egg noodles
Sat. 11/19 ~Rouladen, red cabbage w/ apples and spatzel (Gene will be cooking his famous German dinner)


20-minute Barbecue Ribs (A Pampered Chef recipe) 


1 rack (2 1/2 - 3 lbs) pork loinback ribs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coarsley ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 TBS (Pampered Chef seasonings) Chipotle Rub or Smokey Barbecue Rub (I used Chipotle Rub)
2 tsp cider or white vinegar (I used cider)


Remove membrane from back of ribs then cut between each bone section to make individual portions.  Salt and pepper ribs then arrange, cut side down, in Deep Covered Baker.  Add water.  Microwave (yup...you read it right,MICROWAVE) covered on high for 8 minutes.  Turn ribs and microwave again for 7 - 10 more minutes.  Until pork is 160 degrees at it's thickest part. 


Meanwhile, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and rub to saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.


Transfer ribs to stainless or glass bowl.  Add 1 cup of the sauce and toss to coat. 


Heat Grill Pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Place ribs in pan, cook 4 - 6 minutes or until grill marks appear.  Brush with remaining sauce once.  Serve immediately.


Enjoy!

Chicken Feed recipe (reposted in honor of Mom-mom Rita)

This recipe, I believe, is intended to be a salad or a side dish. My sister in law, who is a vegetarian, made this about 3 or 4 years ago one Thanksgiving so she would have a little more variety. We all fell in love with it! Not as a salad, but as a salsa! It is delicious with tortilla chips! I've also used it to "beef" up taco meat, on top of grilled chicken and in salads. The name, Chicken Feed, is made up...I don't think any of us recall what it is REALLY called. One year over the holidays when my in laws were visiting us, Gene's gram saw it and said "Ewe that stuff looks like chicken feed!" Since then, we've all called it Chick Feed or Chicken Feed.

Now, I'm posting this recipe by memory. I lost the printed version long ago. Feel free to tweak it to your liking. I would love to hear feedback if anyone tries it!

Chicken Feed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups whole kernel corn (if using frozen, thaw before adding)
2 TBS finely chopped cilantro
1 - 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic
approx. 1/4 cup olive oil
approx. 3TBS lime juice (fresh is best, but I have used the store bought and it's fine) 1/2 tsp honey
salt to taste
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until coated. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Back to blogging...

Oh, it has been a while, but I am back!  Recently one of my bestest buds started her blog up again, then I was asked "whatever happened to your food blog?" by another friend and then, just last week another person mentioned some recipes from my old blog and also stated that she had shared the blog with friends and at least one gal enjoyed some of my recipes & ideas....rambling, I know.  Oops  Anyway....I am back (hmmm did I already say that? LOL)!  It may take me a bit to reacquaint myself with the whole blogging scene, but I'll get there!  Thank you all to have kept up with me in the past and who will again.  It means the world to me that my simple ideas and favorite family recipes have been appreciated and enjoyed by so many!