Breakfast Wreath
This is so easy and was a huge hit with my family this morning! You can add bacon or sausage, I just did eggs and cheese because that is all I had in the house.
1 can of crescents 8count
5 large eggs
1 cup of shredded Colby and monterey jack cheese
Scramble eggs, and on a baking stone or cookie sheet with cooking spray arrange as crescents as followed:
Add scrambled eggs and cheese to the center, covering the parts of the dough that overlap.
Next, fold the pointed ends of the crescents toward the middle, over the eggs and cheese. Sprinkle cheese over the top. You should end up with something that looks like this:
Bake at 350 for about 16-18 minutes. Done. Here is what you end up with!
Chinese Chicken Tender Satay
We made this Friday night for dinner and I couldn't get over how good and how EASY it was. Totally makes you look like you slaved in the kitchen and only took minutes to prepare. Great for parties or a potluck. Even my very picky 5 year old cleaned his plate. You have to try this one! courtesy of www.thechew.com
- Salt and ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts cut into strips
Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil for the grill
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup peanut butter (we uses smooth, but it calls for either)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
4 boneless, skinless 1 1/4 cups teriyaki sauce
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled1 lime
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1) Preheat a grill pan or grill over medium-high heat.
2) Place the chicken strips in a medium-large casserole dish.
3) Stir together 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce and the crushed garlic and pour over the chicken strips, stirring to coat.
4) Set aside while you make the dipping sauce.
5) In a small sauce pot, combine the remaining 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, the apple juice, and the chunk of ginger and bring the mixture to a boil.
6) Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes to infuse with the ginger flavor. Discard the ginger.
7) Place the peanut butter in a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the zest of one lime and the hot teriyaki-apple juice mixture until smooth. Transfer to serving dish.
8) When ready to cook, thread the chicken onto metal skewers (you can use bamboo skewers here too -- just soak them in water for 20 minutes before using).
9) Lightly coat the grill pan or grill with a little cooking spray or olive oil and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
10) Garnish the meat with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Fried Green Tomatoes
This is an old favorite, and when I saw these great green tomatoes in the grocery store last night I had to pick them up and surprise my husband with them last night! Really easy, really good! I added a little extra cayenne because he likes things spicy, but you can also serve with a horseradish sauce, or just squeeze a little lemon over top! I think next time we grill out I am going to make them to put on top of burgers!
Peanut Butter Cake
- 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large unripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices, ends removed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1) In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, and cayenne together.
2) Pour the buttermilk into a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3) Dip the tomatoes in the buttermilk and then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture, coating both sides well.
4) Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the tomatoes (in batches if necessary) until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
5) Carefully remove the tomatoes and drain on paper towels.
I am a HUGE peanut butter fan, so this is a favorite for me! It can be left as a cake, or cut into squares like brownies, but either way it is a great desert!! As with the chocolate chip cookie recipe, just make sure that if you are taking it to a party or summer cookout you just warn anyone that it is made with peanuts. It could be mistaken for blonde brownies because of the color.
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/ tsp salt
1 1/2 stick butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3) In a saucepan heat butter, water, vegetable oil, and peanut butter until it comes to a rolling boil.
4) Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture.
5) Add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix well and pour into 2 well greased 9x13 cookie sheets.
6) Bake for 15-18 minutes.
7) Make peanut butter icing (see below)
Peanut Butter Icing
1 stick butter softened
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup peanut butter
1) Beat together ingredients
2) Spread icing on cake while cake is still warm
3) After icing sets, put cake in refrigerator. Cut into pieces prior to serving, if desired.
***I've also drizzled with chocolate sauce or put dots of strawberry jam on top of the individually cut pieces for a fun twist!
Berry Cobbler
I made this for Easter dinner this year and it was a total hit with everyone! What was even better was that it was so easy, and looked like I had put a ton of work into it. I've also wanted to try this in individual tart dishes and bake them each separately for an elegant dinner dessert. Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons whiskey
1 recipe Sweet Biscuit Mix (recipe follows)
3/4 cup water
Confectioners sugar, whipped cream, and/or vanilla ice cream for garnish
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Place butter in a dutch oven or deep casserole dish. Place in preheated oven to melt.
3) In a bowl, toss the fruit with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and whiskey. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
4) In a bowl, combine the Biscuit Mix with 3/4 cup of water and mix until just combined, Pat out the dough into a large round and place in the bottom and up the sides of the dutch oven or casserole dish with the melted butter.
5) Spoon fruit mixture over the dough and cover with any juices.
6) Bake until dough is golden brown and risen, and the fruit is bubble, 30 to 40 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream.
Sweet Biscuit Mix for Berry Cobbler
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cut shortening into mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
I worked for so long to find the right chocolate chip cookie recipe and after a lot of trial and error I came up with one that is perfect every time. They are chewy even a few days after they are made (if they last that long), and are a family favorite! The best part is that they are SO easy. Be careful, because the secret ingredient is a little bit of peanut butter, so if there are any peanut allergies in your family then these aren't for you!
3/4 cup butter flavored crisco
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 bag chocolate chips
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1) Combine crisco, vanilla, eggs. Beat until smooth. Add peanut butter. Mix until combined.
2) In another bowl combine sugars, flour, salt, and baking soda.
3) Add dry mixture to mixture in #1 gradually.
4) Fold chocolate chips into dough.
5) Use a tablespoon or small scooper to place dough onto cookie sheet (I actually like using a baking stone for my cookies).
6) Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Here are some of my favorite recipes that will make you look like you spent the whole day in the kitchen, while still leaving you enough time for that trusty manicure. They are all family tested and mom approved :)
Favorite Fajitas
I found this recipe in a magazine a few years ago and modified it a little bit to make it one of our favorite family dishes!
For the Fajita:
2 1/2 lb flank steak or chicken, sliced in thin strips
6 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I do red and green)
3 onions, thinly sliced
12 tortillas
For the Marinade:
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 serrano chilies, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1) In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. I like to put the chicken or steak into a zip lock bag and poor the marinade into the bag. Then fold the bag over and get all the air out before sealing. This gives the marinade no place to go except into the meat, and creates a great flavor. (Great trick that I learned from Alton Brown on the Food Network). Allow to chill for at least 1 hour, however you can make this the night before and let it marinate overnight to really get a full flavor.
2) Drain the marinade from the meat, and cook the meat in a grill pan, adding just enough marinade to keep it from getting dry. Transfer to another bowl and allow to rest.
3) In the same pan with the juice from the meat, add the veggies and cook, also using some of the reserved marinade to cook the veggies in. Cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
4) Fill tortillas with meat and veggies. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
*** We like our food extra spicy, so I modify this by adding extra Serrano chilies and slice jalapenos to put on the fajitas.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons whiskey
1 recipe Sweet Biscuit Mix (recipe follows)
3/4 cup water
Confectioners sugar, whipped cream, and/or vanilla ice cream for garnish
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Place butter in a dutch oven or deep casserole dish. Place in preheated oven to melt.
3) In a bowl, toss the fruit with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and whiskey. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
4) In a bowl, combine the Biscuit Mix with 3/4 cup of water and mix until just combined, Pat out the dough into a large round and place in the bottom and up the sides of the dutch oven or casserole dish with the melted butter.
5) Spoon fruit mixture over the dough and cover with any juices.
6) Bake until dough is golden brown and risen, and the fruit is bubble, 30 to 40 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream.
Sweet Biscuit Mix for Berry Cobbler
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cut shortening into mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
I worked for so long to find the right chocolate chip cookie recipe and after a lot of trial and error I came up with one that is perfect every time. They are chewy even a few days after they are made (if they last that long), and are a family favorite! The best part is that they are SO easy. Be careful, because the secret ingredient is a little bit of peanut butter, so if there are any peanut allergies in your family then these aren't for you!3/4 cup butter flavored crisco
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 bag chocolate chips
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1) Combine crisco, vanilla, eggs. Beat until smooth. Add peanut butter. Mix until combined.
2) In another bowl combine sugars, flour, salt, and baking soda.
3) Add dry mixture to mixture in #1 gradually.
4) Fold chocolate chips into dough.
5) Use a tablespoon or small scooper to place dough onto cookie sheet (I actually like using a baking stone for my cookies).
6) Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Here are some of my favorite recipes that will make you look like you spent the whole day in the kitchen, while still leaving you enough time for that trusty manicure. They are all family tested and mom approved :)
I found this recipe in a magazine a few years ago and modified it a little bit to make it one of our favorite family dishes!
For the Fajita:
2 1/2 lb flank steak or chicken, sliced in thin strips
6 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I do red and green)
3 onions, thinly sliced
12 tortillas
For the Marinade:
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 serrano chilies, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1) In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. I like to put the chicken or steak into a zip lock bag and poor the marinade into the bag. Then fold the bag over and get all the air out before sealing. This gives the marinade no place to go except into the meat, and creates a great flavor. (Great trick that I learned from Alton Brown on the Food Network). Allow to chill for at least 1 hour, however you can make this the night before and let it marinate overnight to really get a full flavor.
2) Drain the marinade from the meat, and cook the meat in a grill pan, adding just enough marinade to keep it from getting dry. Transfer to another bowl and allow to rest.
3) In the same pan with the juice from the meat, add the veggies and cook, also using some of the reserved marinade to cook the veggies in. Cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
4) Fill tortillas with meat and veggies. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
*** We like our food extra spicy, so I modify this by adding extra Serrano chilies and slice jalapenos to put on the fajitas.
