summer school fruit kabobs & fruit dip...

this sunday for dinner i decided to let my kids assemble the fruit skewers. not only did it keep them out from under my feet, but they were so excited to have a job! after i prepared all the fruit in seperate bowls & put them on the table with the skewers, my 6 year old said-- mom, this is just like at school making patterns. he was so right. i told the kids to make different patterns with the fruit & them tell me what the pattern was. it was both fun & yummy! so let your kids make some "pattern kabobs" & serve them with this yummy dip! everyone will enjoy it!

{picture courtesy of flickr}

{cinnamon & lime fruit dip}

1- 8oz. package softened cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 TBSP brown sugar

zest & juice of 1 lime

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

beat together cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk until light & fluffy. add all remaining ingredients. whip until combined. chill at least 4 hours, made a day ahead.

brit's deep fried cauliflower...

i made this last night to go with our pork sandwiches & it was perfect! i can't take the credit for the pairing though, there used to be a super yummy bbq shack by my house that served fried cauliflower & it was a favorite of my families. walking a block was a lot quicker, but this recipe turned out great & finally was able to fulfill that craving i have had since they moved. give it a try! your kids will gobble it up too!

{brit's deep fried cauliflower}

1 head cauliflower- washed, dried & cut into bite sized pieces

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 TBSP milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

2 TBSP parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2-1 TBPS seasoning salt

1/2 tsp oregeno

1/4 thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

pre-heat deep fried to 375 degrees.

in a gallon sized ziploc bag, mix all dry ingredients. squish & shake sealed bag to mix. set aside.

in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk & 1/4 tsp salt. toss prepared cauliflower in the egg wash. carefully transfer cauliflower into the ziploc bag with a slotted spoon & shake sealed bag until all pieces are evenly coated.

carefully drop coated cauliflower into your hot oil & cook 4-5 minutes or until deep golden. transfer to paper towel covered plate to drain. serve hot with assorted dipping sauces.

enjoy!

kettle corn 101...

{a little sweet, a little salty}

anyone who knows me knows that i don't ever crave movie popcorn, but i am not kidding anyone if i say i don't love myself some kettle corn! it's a must from the farmers market every saturday! too bad the farmers market doesn't go year round here!

well, no worries- now i can make a batch, or 5:), everyday.(i really did make 5 batches yesterday!)

you don't have to have this little gem that i use, but it will make it much easier & it's not expensive. i got me first Whirley Pop almost 10 years ago as a wedding present from my high school humanities teacher, Mrs. Olsen. i love her! i have since had to invest in another on, but i couldn't live without it. i know you can order them online, but even Bed, Bath & Beyond carries them. so save that 20% off coupon that you throw away every week & go get one;) enough with the dialog- here's the info!

{kettle corn recipe}

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

1/2-1 tsp. salt- to taste

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

over high heat, dump all ingredients into the whirley pop. close lid & turn crank.

let sit until it starts to pop. turn crank until finished popping, only about 30 seconds.

pour into heatproof bowl. let cool completely. add more salt if needed.

enjoy, share & repeat:)

a little more cpk yum...

while on my long vacation from blogging, i did actually go on vacation. one of my purchases- the last of the cpk cookbook trilogy:)

i bought my first cookbook from california pizza kitchen in 1997, my senior year of high school, while on vacation with my friends. i was a food nerd even way back then:) since then i have made lots of food from it & the other i bought a few years later. now, they have a new family cookbook & it included one of mine & my kids favorites... yep, there mac & cheese. super easy, super tasty & oh so not healthy! so if any of you are trying to be better this year with your eating, maybe stop reading now. still with me??? make this, as easy as box mix, mac & cheese today!

{cpk's mac & cheese}

1 large bag- fussili pasta

2 lbs. velveta cheese, cubed

1 quart heavy cream

2 tsp. salt

cook pasta in salted until el dente. drain & set aside. in the same pot combine cream, velveta & salt. stir continually until cheese is melted & smooth. add cooked pasta & mix. serve immediately.

**for leftovers- reheat one bowl at a time in microwave. add 1-3 tsp. of water per bowl. cook 30 seconds, stir & cook another 30 seconds or until heated through.

last minute neighbor & friend gifts... from your kitchen~

here are some recipes that i got from some of my fellow members of THE HIVE. all of them look delicious, so i though i would feature all of them & there great blogs! in no particular order...

{caramel marshmallow rice crispy treats}

these are a little labor intensive, but just look at them! you can find this recipe here @ City Home/Country Home.

next up...

{reindeer corn cookie bark}

this is so fun & different! it is also a great way to get the kids in to kitchen for some cooking fun. over at the Home Based Mom, you can grab this recipe & lots of other fun holiday bark recipes!

drum roll please...

{mindika's white chocolate & peppermint fudge}

what is Christmas without fudge??? & this is such a great mix of flavors! head on over to Mindika's Moments to find this & lots of other great recipes for the holiday!

just wait...

{confessions of a bake-aholic's chocolate mint cookies}

i love everything over at Confessions of a bake-aholic! she does such a great job!!! & this recipe is no exception. cookies are a must have during the holidays! & this is a great choice.

& last but definitely not least...

{mel's perfect almond roca}

almond roca is one of my favorite candies! & this is a great recipe for a great toffee! she does different nut toppings for different variations. of course my favorite is her almond roca, but i wouldn't turn down any of them:) head over to mel's kitchen cafe to get this and many other great recipes!

hopefully these yummy treats will make it to from your kitchen to your friends & neighbors home! i wish all of you a happy holiday season, covered in sprinkles, glitter & of course- flour:)!

amy's pumpkin cookies with a twist...

i love this recipe! it's easy, delicious & different:) give it a try for an easy after school treat for your kids... you'll look like the best mom ever without too much effort.

{amy's white chip & macadamia pumpkin cookies}

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBSP warm milk

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBSP vanilla

2 cups white chocolate

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, egg.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg.

Dissolve baking soda in milk and stir in.

Add flour mixture to pumpkin and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips, nuts.

Spoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 min or until slightly brown.

flavors of fall... pumpkin spice cupcakes~

i made this recipe up yesterday for my hunny's birthday dinner & they couldn't have turned out better! not to mention they are easy peasy:) these are perfect for all fall long! ditch the pie & make these instead;)-

{pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting}

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

1- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 1/4 cup flour

1 TBSP cinnamon

2 tsp. all spice

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

in a large bowl, beat together sugars & oil. add eggs & vanilla. beat until incorporated. mix in pumpkin & buttermilk & beat well.

in a small bowl whisk together all dry ingredients until combined. add to pumpkin mix & beat until combined & creamy.

grease or line 24 muffin cups & fill 2/3 full. bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. let cool, top with cinnamon cream cheese frosting & sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

{cinnamon cream cheese frosting}

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

1 bag powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

2-3 tsp. cinnamon

2-4 TBSP water

beat together cream cheese & butter. add half the powdered sugar, salt, cinnamon & vanilla. beat until incorporated. add other half of sugar & water. beat on medium high until light & fluffy. pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes & sprinkle with cinnamon sugar:)

dustin's peanut butter chip cookies...

i have been looking for a great peanut butter cookie recipe for a while & i got it from the most unexpected source! one of my brothers bff's, or should i say- my little girls "boyfriend":) dustin has been my brothers friend for as long as i can remember & he has been avi's boyfriend, in her eyes since she has been about 2. everyone loves dustin, & now you will love him too for sharing this recipe.

{dustin's peanut butter chip cookies}

Oven Temperature: 375 degrees

Makes about 50 Cookies

Cooks in 7-10 Minutes

Tips:

The cookies taste the best when they are made all in the same day. The batter is still really good after 24 hours, but it is best if mixed and cooked within the first 24 hours.

If you hate hard/stiff cookies, try placing an additional empty cookie sheet at the bottom of the oven to protect the cookies from direct heat of the elements. Next, place the cookie sheet with cookies, closer to the top of the oven than the bottom.

Take the cookies out just before they appear to be done, as they will continue to cook after they are taken out of the oven. (If the cookies are undercooked, you can place them back in the oven a little bit longer. It's better to undercook the cookies than to overcook them. The reason for this is that you can always cook the cookies longer if needed.)

Try only a few cookies at first to see how they will react to your oven.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Margarine (Must be room Temperature)

2 Cups Peanut Butter

2 Cups Sugar

2 Cups Brown Sugar

4 eggs

5 Cups of Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

3 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

A bag of Reese's Peanut Butter chips.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.

Mix ingredients 1-4 together.

Once the ingredients are mixed together, slowly beat the eggs into the mixture.

After the eggs have been added, slowly add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture.

When the mixture has been mixed, add enough Reese's Peanut Butter chips to the batch so that you have about 3-4 chips in each cookie. (Feel free to add more.)

Please shape the cookies to about the size of a small shaped ice cream scooper. (Depending on the oven, you may need to increase or decrease the size of the cookies.)

Place the cookies on a cookie sheet, and place them in the oven for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes flatten the cookie with a fork or spoon. Once you have finished flattening the cookies, allow the cookies to cook for another 3-5 minutes until lightly brown around the edges.

When the cookies have finished cooking, take them off of the hot cookie sheet, and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes (really to your preference).

grandma hope's messy mikes...

my grandma always made these "messy mikes" named after my uncle mike. & we always thought the name was so funny. i love this recipe & think it is a perfect quick or even make ahead dinner for a school night dinner.

{Grandma Hope’s Messy Mikes}

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

2 TBSP butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 can chicken gumbo soup

1/4-1/2 cup ketchup (to taste)

1/4 cup brown sugar

salt & pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter & add onions. Cook until translucent. Add ground beef & salt & pepper. Brown ground beef until cooked through. Drain off fat. Add to soup, ketchup & brown sugar to the drained meat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add additional salt & pepper to taste. Serve on hamburger buns with cheese of your choice.

jess' golden graham treats...

jess brought these to recipe club quite a while ago, & they are so simple & yummy! with school almost out, we all need to stock up on recipes to keep our little ones sweet & happy. also, this is a great one to let the little ones help out with.

{jess' golden graham treats}

1- 18 oz box Golden Graham cereal

1 bag mini-marshmallows

1 stick butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

In a large pot over medium heat, melt together butter & marshmallows. Mix in cereal. Pour out & flatten onto a greased cookie sheet. In separate microwave safe bowls, on half power, melt chocolate chips in microwave. Cook 1 minute, stir & then melt again 30 seconds at a time. Drizzle melted chocolate, one flavor at a time, over treats.

** you can also substitute white chocolate chips instead of milk.

heather's root beer cookies...

with warming weather teasing us, outdoor cooking is just around the corner! this is such a great dessert for a potluck or any other summer occasion. don't for get end of school parties! these little babies are perfect for kids!!!

{picture courtesy of cafe johnsonia}

{Heather’s Root Beer Cookies}

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1 egg

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. root beer extract

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first three ingredients. Stir in water & root beer extract. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Refrigerate 1 hour. If dough is sticky, add a little flour. Roll into small balls & bake for 6-8 minutes. frost after completely cooled.

{root beer frosting}

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. rootbeer extract
a few tablespoons hot water

in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until light & whipped. add powdered sugar & continue to mix until combined. add extract & enough hot water to make spreadable.

the first of two tasty spring salads...

i first had this salad at a family dinner when my sister-in-law brought it. it didn't have the topping then, but i have made it with & without & prefer it with! i love the difference in textures & flavors. it is perfect for any of your spring & summer eats!

{Markae’s Fresh Grape Salad}

2 lbs. green grapes

2 lbs. red grapes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Wash & pat dry grapes. Arrange in a bowl & stir until evenly mixed in colors. In an other bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, sugar & vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour over grapes, stir together. Refrigerate overnight.

In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar & pecans. Transfer grapes mix to a serving dish & sprinkle with sugar & nut mix. Return to fridge until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

mykelle's coconut Easter cupcakes...

mykelle brought these to yummy little delights to recipe club this month. i had toasted coconut & cadbury eggs, so i just used those instead. but i thought they still turned out cute. make these for your little chicks this weekend:)

{mykelle's little nest cakes}

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup water

1 boxed white cake mix

1 tsp vanilla

1 can cream of coconut

prepared whipped cream

2 cups toasted coconut

1 bag candy eggs

in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, oil & eggs until smooth. beat in water, cake mix & vanilla. spoon into lined cupcake pans, filling about 2/3 full.

bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

pour cream of coconut into a small bowl. stir until all combined.

while cupcakes are still hot, poke a few holes into the top of the cupcake with the back of a wooden spoon. spoon cream of coconut over each cupcake one tablespoon at a time, you might have to use your spoon to guide into the hole.

let cool completely before decorating. when cooled, spread whipped cream onto the cupcake. sprinkle with toasted coconut & top with candy eggs.

valarie's blueberry sour cream pound cake...

when it comes to treats & sweets, valarie always comes through! last month she brought this pound cake & it was so delish! she also brought a lemon cream topping that i will post, but is not pictured. i am actually making this tonight for a morning meeting i have tomorrow! you could easily turn this same recipe into a great denser muffin recipe... yummmmm!

{valarie's blueberry sour cream pound cake}

3 1/4 cups flour plus 2 TBSP

1 tsp. salt

3 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

9 eggs, at room temperature

2 cups fresh blueberries

4 TBSP coarse sanding sugar

preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter 2 5x9 loaf pans.

in a large bowl, cream together butter, sour cream & sugar until light & fluffy. about 5 minutes. scrape down sides of bowl & add vanilla. turn the mixer down to medium & add the eggs one at a time.

in a separate bowl, whisk together 3 1/4 cup flour & salt. add flour mixture into your other bowl in 4 additions. lightly mixing between each addition.

toss the blueberries in the remaining 2 TBSP flour & fold into the batter. divide the batter between the 2 pans & smooth the tops of batter. sprinkle 2 TBSP sanding sugar onto the top of each loaf. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just crumbs. let cool in pans at least 15-20 minutes. turn out of pans & let cool completely on wire racks.

{Lemon Cream Topping}

1 cup heavy cream

2-3 TBSP powdered sugar

2 tsp. lemon zest

beat together to form soft peaks. spoon on top of cooled pound cake.

(remember the previous post about adding softened cream cheese to help the cream hold it's shape)

easy homemade mac & cheese...

so believe it or not, i had never made homemade mac & cheese before yesterday. i don't know why. but it was so easy & super yummy. i took it as my "dish i had never made before" for recipe club last night & i'm glad i did. i think it would be so yummy with bbq chicken or i might even make it this weekend as a side dish for my sons cowboy party... which don't worry, we're having pigs in a blanket:) give me a break- they're 5. hope that you took me up on my try new recipe challenge & that you HAVE found some new favorites! happy cooking- Brit

{easy cheesy homemade mac & cheese}

1 lb. elbow noodles
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 1/4 cups half and half
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 Cups Colby Jack, divided

1/2 tsp tabasco

1/4 tsp white pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. making sure to

salt the water.

In large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour making a roux. Gradually stir in half and half whisking until thickened. Stir in salt, tabasco & pepper. Remove from heat. Add 3 cups of cheese, stir until cheese melts. Add drained & rinsed pasta to cheese sauce. Stir until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup more cheese & stir, cheese should be stringy. Spoon into a baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted & bubbly.

by popular demand...

sorry no picture of this one yet, i'm making it today, so i'll add it later. i have make this for work a few times & everyone always asks for the recipe. so here it is. it is a little different than normal chex mix. you can add whatever mix-ins you would like. this last time i got coconut covered cashews from costco & did those with white chocolate chips. it was super sweet, but really yummy.

sticky sweet chex mix

2 sticks margarine, not butter!

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 large box chex cereal, i use corn, rice or a mix of both

mix-ins of your choice...

nuts, candy, dried fruit, chocolate chips, coconut, ect.

in a large pot melt margarine, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla & salt. bring to a full boil. turn off heat & add baking soda. the mixture will begin to foam... a lot! this is good! stir until mixture is really foamy, about a 30-60 seconds.

place cereal & mix-ins in a large bowl & stir to combine. **if you are using chocolate, just mix the cereal & the syrup together & stir until cooled down a bit. don't add until mixture has cooled slightly, or all your chocolate will melt!

pour onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. let cool. break apart & put into a bowl.

eat yourself sick:)

brooke's fresh veggie pizza...

this recipe is from my friend brooke & i took it to recipe club a few years ago, but i thought it would be a great alternative the standard veggie tray this holiday season. this is a completely edible veggie tray with a crust, ranch spread for the sauce & all the fresh veggies of your choice piled high. try it for your next party!

{brooke's veggie pizza}

2 tubes of crescent rolls

3/4 cup mayo

1 package dry ranch dressing seasoning

1-8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1/2-1 cup shredded cheese, i like parmesan

assorted chopped veggies- carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, olives,

tomatoes, onions, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, ect.

flatten crescent rolls out onto a cookie sheet to make the crust. bake according to package directions. remove from oven & let cool. in a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, ranch & mayo until smooth. spread ranch mix on top of cooked & cooled crust. top with chopped veggies & sprinkle with shredded cheese. chill for 1 hour. cut into squares & serve.

handmade of the holidays...

i love doing handmade gifts for my neighbors & friends, & so do my kids! this is a great little gift for you to help your kids make for there friends. there are lots of options of "flavors". just split the play dough into smaller sizes & put them in clear containers. stack them & wrap them up in some cello & tie a cookie cutter onto the top & you've got yourself the perfect handmade kid friendly gift!

Here’s the super easy recipe:

2 C Flour

1 C Salt

4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

2 C Water

2 TBSP Vegetable Oil

Food Coloring (the more the better!)

2 TBSP Peppermint extract

Combine all dry ingredients in a large pot. Stir together. Mix all the wet ingredients together & add to the pot. Stir on low heat until mixture starts forming a ball and will pull away from the sides. Let cool. Enjoy.

i also made gingerbread flavor with with pumpkin pie spices (2 TBSP) & brown food coloring. as well as white with erridecent glitter to look like snow. play around with it & try different spices & extracts. i haven't tried it yet, but i want to do a chocolate one with cocoa powder. the kids love them & they feel like they're cooking with me!

**Obviously you could eat this dough and not die, but with that much salt, I can’t imagine it would taste very good:)

kesley's pretzel jello salad...

i have had 3 people call me for this recipe this week & each time they ask if it's on the recipe blog & i have to answer no. but why isn't it??? i don't know why i haven't posted it yet. so here it is!

{kesley’s pretzel jello salad}

2 c. crushed pretzels

3/4 c. melted butter

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 c. powdered sugar

1 lg. box raspberry,strawberry or blackberry Jello

2 cups frozen berries of any kind

Mix together pretzels, melted butter and the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Then press in 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. Mix cream cheese, Cool Whip and 1 cup of powdered sugar; pour over pretzel crust.

Dissolve large package of raspberry Jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 packages of frozen raspberries not drained. Mix well and pour over cream cheese. Chill for a couple hours.

easy breezy baked sweet potato fries...

i had never been a big sweet potato fan, which is so bazaar, seeing that i like almost everything:) but in the past few years i have had my eyes opened to some recipes that i am completely in love with... sweet potato dishes! oh how i love you now & wish i could take back all those thanksgivings with not as tasty sweet potato dishes. anyhooo- i love sweet potato fries & even though they don't cook up as crisp when you bake them vs. frying them, they are about 1 trillion times healthier (ok, so that might be a slight exageration:)) & just as delicious! not to mention your house doesn't smell like the local fast food joint.

whip up a batch of these next time you want an easy after school snack! the kids will love them & you won't believe how easy & cheap they are!

{sweet potato fries}

fresh sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch fries
kosher or flake salt
fresh pepper
other dried herbs~thyme, rosemary, oregano, ect.
oil

Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees. Place peeled & cut potatoes in to a medium bowl. Toss with vegetable or extra virgin olive oil, I use 2 TBSP per 1 large potato. Spread onto a baking sheet, keeping in a single layer. Srinkle with a healthy dose of seasoning. Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven & toss. Return to oven & continue to bake another 10 or so minutes. Watching carefully so as not to burn.
Serve with the dip of your choice. My family prefers a BBQ sauce & mayo mix.