Don't these just sound and look DELISH?! I can't wait to try them next week for our Christmas party! Foudn on Picky PalateFriday, December 11, 2009
Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites
Don't these just sound and look DELISH?! I can't wait to try them next week for our Christmas party! Foudn on Picky PalateMonday, November 16, 2009
Homemade Granola Bars
Don't these just look delish? There are so many things you could do with this recipe, in addition to the original. YUM!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Fajita Skillet
LOVE this dish from Taste of Home!!! I didn't do the tortilla strips that it called for and it was still delicious. I prefer it just by itself, but my husband would prefer it with a tortilla like buritto-style or on top of rice. Any way you do it it would turn out great!
Ingredients
- 2 flour tortillas (10 inches), cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
- 1 medium green pepper, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
- 1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
Directions
- In a large skillet, fry tortilla strips in 2 tablespoons oil on both sides for 1 minute or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- In the same skillet, cook the chicken, beef, green pepper, onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin and pepper in remaining oil for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and lime juice until smooth. Stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in pineapple and tomato; heat through. Serve with tortilla strips. Yield: 4 servings.
Black Bean 'n Pumpkin Chili
Yes, ladies and gentlemen-PUMPKIN! I originally tried it because I was so curious about pumpkin being in chili and I ended up LOVING it! It so hearty, and just plain delicious.Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey (I used ground)
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings
Hawaiin Kabobs
pineapple (preferably fresh :)) or 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks
1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, quartered
12-16 mushrooms, optional
16-18 cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
1 Tbl. brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 c. juice. Place pineapple chunks and vegetables in a large bowl; set aside. In a saucepan, combine reserved pineapple juice with soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour over vegetable mixture; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove pineapple and vegetables from marinade and reserve marinade. Alternate pineapple, green pepper, onion, mushrooms if desired and tomatoes on skewers. Grill kabobs for 20 minutes or until soft, turning and basting with marinade frequently. Serve over rice if desired.
Apple Crisp
This is one of those long time family favorites that I just never get sick of! It is so good and considerably healthy!
Ingredients:
4 c. apples, peeled and sliced
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1/3 c. flour
1 c. quick oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter
Place apples in 8x10 shallow baking dish. sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients, add melted butter. Sprinkle over apples. (Double topping for a real delicious taste!) cook for 30 min at 375 degrees. Be careful though to not burn the topping!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
6 tablespoon honey
5 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb. cooked, shredded chicken ( about 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 wheat flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (your favorite)
16 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together and toss with the shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
2. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with marinated chicken and cheese. (reserve about 3/4 cup cheese for top)
3. After the tortillas are filled and placed in dish, mix the leftover marinade, remaining enchilada sauce, and sour cream together. Pour sauce over the top of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and broil the last few minutes to make the cheese nice and golden brown. Pair these yummy enchiladas with a side of spicy black beans (add a little garlic, onion, and cumin powder to them) and a green salad, and there you have it! A nice healthy dinner!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Homemade Fruit Leather
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Strawberries
1/2 cup Sugar
Directions:
Puree strawberries with sugar in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan.
Bring puree to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to mound slightly (about 45 mins - 1 hour).
Preheat oven to 200° F, with the rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with non-stick cooking spray). Pour hot puree onto liner and spread thinly (as evenly as possible) into a 15 x 10 inch rectangular pan using a spatula. Dry puree in oven until it feels drier, but is still slightly tacky, about 2 hours.
Cool until completely dry for at least 3 hours (up to 24). Place a sheet of parchment paper over leather then peel off liner and roll up in parchment.
Cinnamon chips with Apple Dip
This is a great after school snack your kids will love. To see the original post click here.
Ingredients for Dip:
1 1/3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apples. (I used 3 golden delicious)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons apricot preserves
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Ingredients for Chips:
5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Combine all the dip ingredients in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate the mixture until chilled.
Brush the tortillas with butter, then cut them into wedges. Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 350 until golden brown, about 10 mins. Let them cool before serving.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Halloween Goodies!




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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
"...They turned out so well for me this time because I broke my pastry blender so I had to cut the butter into the flour with two knives. I was so bugged with the tediousness of it that I thought I quit a little early since the butter seemed to be in kind of big chunks! Obviously it was just right and to be honest I think I usually cut it in way too much... ok I admit it, I definitely do! I remember Mom telling me often "oh honey, that's a little too much but it's ok - I'm sure it will still be delicious"!! :) So learn from my mistakes and don't cut the butter in too much. Also minimize how much you handle the dough, otherwise you'll end up with tough biscuits!"
My poor square little biscuits... I need a round biscuit cutter!!
2 cups all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
3 tablespoons honey
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill 10 minutes.
3. Combine buttermilk and honey, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times. Roll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope). Reroll dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9 x 5–inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds; gently roll or pat to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with a 1 3/4-inch biscuit cutter to form 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan; cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles
This is an original recipe created by me. The idea came from pigs in a blanket. An adult version with chicken cordon bleu instead of hot dogs!

1 tube Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits
8 chicken tenders {if you want even easier, you could buy those crispy chicken strips and cook them in the oven instead}
8 pieces thinly sliced, cooked ham
8 slices swiss cheese
In a skillet add 1-2 TBS oil. Place chicken tenders in the oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cook on medium-high heat till done and juices run clear. {I used a lid to keep oil from splattering}
Roll biscuits out in a rectangle. Place one slice ham, one slice cheese and one chicken tender on top of each.
Fold ends and edges and pinch to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet and cook at 350 for approximately 20 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce:1/4 C mayonaisse
1 TBS honey
1/4 C Smuckers Simply Fruit Apricot Spread
1/2 - 1 TBS mustard
1 TBS sour cream
1/4 tsp poppy seeds
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Fudge Oatmeal Bars

1 C butter
2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 ½ C flour
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
3 C oats
Mix. Put 2/3 in 9x13 pan. Spread filling over top. Sprinkle rest of batter on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Filling:
12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 TBS butter
Melt. Add:
1 C nuts (opt)
2 tsp vanilla
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Italian Mini-Meat Loaves
1.Place meat in a bowl and make a well in meat. Fill well with egg, bread crumbs, 1/4cup cheese, onion, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
2.Mix all together and form into loafs. (You can make them small or big as you like. This recipe will make 4-6 depending on size). Make loafs about 1 inch thick. Coat loafs with a bit of olive oil and arrange on sprayed baking sheet.
3.Roast for 18-20 minutes on 425 degrees.
Cereal Crunch
Found on My Favorite Recipes
- 7 cups Golden Graham cereal
- 8 cups Rice Chex cereal (I used rice Cripix and it worked fine)
- 3 cups flake coconut
- 1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
- 1 cup white Karo syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breast halves (I've used 3 big ones and had it turn out great)2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
2 15-oz cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 cup MEDIUM salsa (not mild)
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
1 14 ½-oz can tomato sauce
Tortilla chips, not optional :)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp)
Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice or shred into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup. To serve, put a handful of chips in each individual soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese.
Fudge Crinkles

Friday, July 31, 2009
Homemade Bread Crumbs
"We don't eat the bread heels at our house and I had some baguettes left in the freezer from a party and I stuck those in the oven.

Let bread cook at 325 for 10-15 minutes (turn over half way through) or till bread is dried out. Cool. Place in a blender or food processor and blend till desired consistency is achieved. (I like finer crumbs)
You can mix in some garlic and parsley like I did or put in whatever season you prefer. I threw these in a Ziploc and put in the freezer for maximum freshness. "
Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette
Firecrackers!

I can't remember where I saw these...a little holiday pamphlet from somewhere....Anyway here is what you need:
- chocolate cake rolls, like Hostess Ho-Hos or Little Debbie Swiss Rolls (I used Ho-Hos)
- frosting (white, red or blue) you can make this or buy it.
- candles (red, white, or blue)"
Red Robin Seasoning
3 TBS salt
1 TBS instant tomato soup mix (I used tomato bouillon)
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Combine ingredients. Use an empty spice bottle to mix, store and sprinkle. Makes 1/3 cup.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Taos Chicken and Pasta
1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves
Honey Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry
2 cups cooked rice
1. Cut up chicken into bite-size strips. Set aside. For sauce mix honey, soy sauce, vinegar, oj, and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Drizzle a little bit of oil into a skillet or wok. Heat over med-high heat. Add veggies to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. Remove veggies and add chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Push chicken to side of pan and add the sauce to center of pan. Stir until thick and bubbly.
3. Return cooked veggies to pan and cook and stir until warm. Serve over rice and there you have it!
* You can buy minute brown rice, which is soooo good for you. With this yummy sauce you can't even tell!
Caesar Chicken with Orzo
From Eat it Up
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 can chicken broth (14 oz.)
1 cup water
1 cup uncooked orzo ( in the pasta aisle)
1 bag (1 lb.) of frozen broccoli, green beans, pearl onions, and red peppers ( I didn't have that so I used fresh broccoli and carrots and steamed them a little bit to soften them up before adding them)
1/4 cup fat free Caesar dressing
pepper and salt
1. Heat a skillet over med. heat and cook chicken about 10 minutes until browned on both sides. ( I seasoned mine up with onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper) Remove chicken and keep warm.
2. Add broth and water to skillet. Heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Heat to boiling. Cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes until almost done. Stir occasionally. Stir in frozen veggies, or freshly steamed and dressing.
3. Add chicken to mixture. Sprinkle with pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until pasta and veggies are done. Warm about 1/2 cup dressing and drizzle over individual servings. Serve with muffins or corn bread!
* I buy low-fat or fat free muffin mixes at the store so I can whip up a quick bread to go with dinner!
* When I make corn bread or muffins I add a shredded carrot or zucchini to the mixture before baking to add a little extra veggies and no one can even tell! Get those kids eating veggies!
* Add any veggies that your family likes to this ..corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms.... the list goes on!
"Mini Chicken with the Blues"
Ingredients:
4 thawed chicken tenders
4- 2 inch strips turkey ham
4- 2 inch slices of Colby cheese
Italian bread crumbs
salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
1. Tenderize your chicken by using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to make your chicken thinner. Salt and pepper each side.
2. Get your toothpicks ready and pour about a cup of bread crumbs into a bowl.
3. For each tender put a piece of ham in the center of your chicken. Then top with a cheese slice. Roll it up and secure it with a toothpick. Carefully roll in bread crumbs and put on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with veggies and a biscuit and you are set!
* This recipe serves two adults. I figure about 2 per person. So make as many as you want! For kiddies I just cut up a chicken strip into nugget size and rolled them in bread crumbs!Bake them at the same temp with your food. Annie loved her chicken nuggets!Stacked Burrito
Ok, it's not to spicy, just prefect Mexican spicy. I made this up as a spin on a dish my mom used to make for us growing up. It is a healthy, warm, one dish meal that is so good and even meat free! You will never know because it is so hearty!
3 flour tortillas
red taco sauce or enchilada sauce
1 can corn
1 can fat free refried beans
1 packet Mexican rice ( you can use Spanish rice too, I get the LIPTON brand Mexican rice packet, it is ready in 7 minutes and the flavors are great!)
grated cheese, any kind
chopped tomato, lettuce, olives, and sour cream
1. Cook your rice. While rice is cooking, put some red sauce in the bottom of a round 2 quart casserole dish. If you don't have a round dish you can use any size just layer to fit your dish. Next place a tortilla down. Next, spread a layer of beans, corn, and top with rice. Next is the cheese and some more red sauce.
2. Repeat the layer again, tortilla, beans, corn, rice, cheese, and red sauce. Finish the dish with one more tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Depending on how big your dish is you can do another layer, but I only fit 2 layers. Place in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted and dish is heated through, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile chop your tomatoes, lettuce, and olives. When dish is done cooking let sit about 5 minutes before cutting. Cut out wedges and top with all your fixings! Serve with homemade baked chips, salsa, and guacamole and you have a meal!
* You can easily add ground turkey, beef, of shredded chicken as a layer in this dish.
* Add lots of lettuce and tomato on top for your veggies, like a salad on top!
* Baked chips: cut flour tortillas into wedges and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush lemon juice on each wedge and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes but keep your eye on them!! You can flip them half way through, but I like mine soft on one side! These are soo good and a healthy alternative to store bought chips.
Baked Wagon Wheel Pasta
2 1/3 cups dried wagon wheel pasta
1 lb. ground turkey or turkey Italian sausage
( I used a little of each, what I had in the freezer)
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
fresh basil and oregano
1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet cook meat, onion, and garlic until meat is brown, remove from skillet.
3. In a large bowl stir together pasta sauce, 1/2 cup cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and meat mixture. Gently stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.
4. Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese and cook for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with fresh cut basil and oregano.
5. Serve with garlic bread and broccoli and you have a healthy meal!
* You could also bake this in little single serving ramekins for fun! Cook for 15-20 minutes and then add cheese.
* Add mushrooms and sliced zucchini for a little more flavor too!
Holiday Snacks
Scarecrow Cookie Directions Here

Marshmallow pilgrim hats here
Spider pops here
These are from Taste of Home
strawberry ghosts here- seriously cute!
Another idea for pilgrim hat

