Recipes – Page 3

How to Balance Your Breakfast

January 18, 2016

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We’ve all heard it a million times. It’s also the most skipped meal around this house. I’ve gotten in a really bad habit of making a cup of coffee and calling it a day – or breakfast, anyway. I noticed last week that I started feeling really weak during the late morning and decided I needed to start eating breakfast again. Even if it is just a little something. My go-to is fruit, but I also love yogurt! The only problem with fruit is, it’s basically like drinking water. It doesn’t stick with you very long.

Easy Stuffed Shell Pasta Recipe

January 11, 2016

There are nine people living in my parent’s house right now. There were ten before my sister went back to school. To say things have been crazy and hectic around here would be an understatement. Four kids, 3 and under. Need I say more? Because things have been so insane, finding super easy and quick dinners to cook at night are a must. I love this simple pasta recipe because it is easy, quick to make (about 35 minutes) and so delicious!

Easy-Pasta-Dinner-Recipe

Christmas Traditions + Peppermint OREO Cookie Ball Pops

December 15, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OreoCookieBalls #CollectiveBias

Family holiday traditions are so important I remember after Ryan and I got married, we talked a lot about establishing traditions for our family because we were being pulled in so many directions from both of our families. I think we attended over 10 Christmas gatherings between our two families and a work and church party. It was nuts. It left very little time for our own Christmas celebrations, so we talked heavily about it that year and decided to make a list of traditions that we will make time for every year no matter what. These have become especially important since having our babies.

Christmas Traditions Every Family Should Have:

-Decorating the Christmas Tree together

-Driving around town to look at Christmas lights

-Seeing Santa Claus

-Baking Sweet Treats

This year, We chose to make our own rendition of the OREO Cookie Balls! We ran out to Walmart to purchase our ingredients and made Peppermint OREO Cookie Ball Pops and a few Peppermint OREO Cookie Balls. They were delicious! My favorite part was the memories we made in the kitchen together. My son was covered in melted chocolate and my husband enjoyed eating them once they were made. This recipe is so easy to make! The only tip I have is that if you choose to use peppermint sticks instead of regular sucker or cake pop sticks, dip the OREO Cookie Balls once in your white chocolate and then once they cool, insert the peppermint stick before dipping them a second time. This gives them more coverage which is best when dipping anything dark into white chocolate. It also held the peppermint sticks better (because they are so thick) if they were already dipped once.

Ingredients:
-1 pkg (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
-36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
-4 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted (I used vanilla almond bark)

Optional Ingredients:
-1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
-Peppermint Sticks
Make it!
-MIX cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
-SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
-CUSTOMIZE it with your own ingredient additions or decorative skills.
-REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

What is your favorite holiday tradition? Check out more delicious holiday OREO Cookie Ball recipes here!

How to Spread Christmas Cheer + Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls Recipe

December 14, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareTheHoliday #CollectiveBias

The holiday season is such a special and fun time for families. It is so easy to get caught up in absolutely spoiling your children and loved ones this time of year, but I think it is very important to focus on other people and their needs as well. For some, the holiday may not be so warm and fuzzy and Hallmark movies and baking cookies to wrap up in your Rubbermaid TakeAlongs. It is a very painful time for many.

I know several people who have lost children during the holidays, lost a parent, gone through a divorce, lost their job, etc. It can be a very tough time. To me, life is about focusing on other people more than ourselves. Yes, it is important to take care of ourselves first so we can care for ohers, but imagine how wonderful this world would be if everyone focused a little bit more of their time and energy on other people.

A couple of weeks ago at my church, our song-leader challenged us to make someone’s day by doing a random act of kindness. My mom had actually talked to me about this very thing several days prior and we had already made up in our minds that we would do this in our town. Here are a few ways to brighten someone’s day and spread Christmas cheer this holiday season:

Pay for someone’s meal

Deliver a goodie basket

Pull up someone’s trash can

Visit an old people home

Take a meal to someone who is sick

Open a door

Let someone go before you in line

Write someone a hand written letter

Drop a $5 dollar bill on the sidewalk or a shopping mall… just because

Bake a sweet treat and deliver it to friends and family

This past week, I thought I would bake my grandma’s favorite “candy” which is technically her yummy chocolate covered peanut butter balls recipe. They are a family favorite and I can’t get enough of them. I love making her recipes and learning how to cook and bake like her because to me, she is the best. After I ran to Walmart to grab my ingredients and Rubbermaid TakeAlongs, I baked a batch of these delicious treats (and ate one), I placed them in pretty red and green Rubbermaid TakeAlongs and put a big bow on top. I delivered them to a family friend and a family member who is struggling this season. It definitely brightened their day and it really made me so happy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
1 box powdered sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter
Chocolate flavored almond bark

Directions:
Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer while you melt the almond bark. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and dip them into the almond bark. Place them on wax paper to dry. They dry very quickly.

I absolutely love Rubbermaid TakeAlongs because they come in Holiday, red and green prints and are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe! They also feature Quik Clik Seal™ technology that prevents spills and leaks when transporting food. Rubbermaid has been making their food storage containers for 80 years now, and they have really helped me make my holidays a little bit easier. I saved a couple of Rubbermaid TakeAlongs for myself so that I can have them on hand for holiday leftovers or if I get the urge to bake more treats for someone else.

Be sure to take advantage of Rubbermaid’s special Ibotta $1 Off Of Any 2 Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Products rebate offer exclusive to Walmart shoppers.

What would you put in your Rubbermaid TakeAlong? How do you plan to help brighten someone’s day this holiday season?

Baking Christmas Cookies with Betty Crocker

December 4, 2015

This post is sponsored by Betty Crocker but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is baking Christmas cookies. This tradition began our first Christmas as a married couple – 4 years ago and last year we got H involved by letting him stir the dough. This year, since I have my son and nephew, it was twice the fun! Betty Crocker made things easier for me this year. I loved running out and picking up the Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix and making these delicious Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Cups. They were a huge hit with my family.

This year, we thought it would be nice to box some up in our Ziploc containers and give some to extended family and friends. I think this was G’s favorite part! Or, maybe it was eating the cookies. While Hamp is still a little young to really appreciate baking, G was so into it. He loved helping me put the Reese’s in the cookies and was so proud of himself. We had so much fun baking these treats, but I will always remember this year’s Christmas with all of our family being together. It is loud and crazy around here, but we are getting settled in and loving all these babies running around!

This is definitely one of my new favorite cookie recipes. Betty Crocker knows her stuff, let me tell you! Her recipe calls for cocktail peanuts, but because I was making them for the kiddos, we skipped that ingredient.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Ingredients

1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ peanut butter cookie mix

: Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on cookie mix package

1/4: cup chopped cocktail peanuts (I skipped this ingredient)

1/4: cup peanut butter chips

1 1/2: tablespoons coarse sparkling sugar

36: Reese’s™ miniatures peanut butter cups, unwrapped; Directions; Heat your oven to 375°F. Place mini paper baking cup in each of 36 mini muffin cups.In large bowl, stir cookie mix, water, oil and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in peanuts and peanut butter chips. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip top half of each ball into sugar. Place one ball, sugar side up, into each muffin cup. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 peanut butter cup into center of each cookie. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely and enjoy!

Are you trying any new recipes this baking season?

Be sure to print your Betty Crocker Coupon and enter below to win $10 paypal cash to try a Betty Crocker recipe yourself!

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Holiday Recipes and Sweepstakes with Mezzetta Memories

November 25, 2015

This post is sponsored by Mezzetta but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Every holiday season I begin putting together new recipes for different things. Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, Family Christmas dinner, etc. There is always a list of events that I need to cook for. I was at the grocery store the other day and saw Mezzetta olives! I made a delicious Holiday Pasta Salad recipe last year and I thought the olives would be a great addition to a Holiday skewer I was planning for this week!

Ingredients:

-1 red pepper chopped into one inch squares
-Basil leaves
–Mezzetta Green Olives (cut out the pits)
-Feta Cheese cut into one inch squares

Directions:

After cutting the pepper and cheese, place the ingredients on a skewer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with ground black pepper.

These are so easy and the perfect color for a holiday appetizer. Mezzetta is hosing a Holiday Sweepstakes where you can win an Olive Lover’s Gift Basket with a ton of goodies. Be sure to enter the sweeps here!

Print a 0.50 coupon here!

What is your favorite go-to holiday appetizer?

Easy 3 Ingredient Mini Pumpkin Pie Recipe

November 3, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EffortlessPies #CollectiveBias

During the Holidays, I love to make holiday themed snacks and meals for my son. It’s something we both enjoy doing – making messes in the kitchen, getting our hands a little dirty, and eating! My only issue with this time of year is that most recipes are full of unhealthy ingredients. I like to try to find healthier alternatives when I can, especially for my son. When he eats a lot of sugar, he is a different kid. He starts acting crazy and wild and it normally ends in a tantrum. Because of this, I try to avoid giving him sugar as much as possible or at least limiting the amount he eats.

Pumpkin pies are a fall favorite of mine. I thought it would be fun to create mini pumpkin pies using Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust, Dannon Oikos® Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt, and Reddi Wip® from Walmart as a healthier version for my son as a special holiday themed snack.

Ingredients:

Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Dannon Oikos® Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt
Reddi Wip®
Cinnamon

Directions:

Spoon the Dannon Oikos® Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt into the mini pie crusts. Top the pie with Reddi Wip® and a dash of cinnamon.

This was such a fun activity and way to spend quality time with H and I felt so much better about feeding him this healthier version of a pumpkin pie instead of an actual one. The best part? It was delicious!

Find more effortless pie recipes here! What is your favorite pie?

Halloween Round-Up

October 30, 2015

Tomorrow is Halloween! It kind of snuck up on me this year. Our family has wild plans to go to my grandmother’s and hang out with family and of course, do a little trick-or-treating! I’m excited to get the kids all dressed up in their costumes to show everyone how cute they are! We participated in our church’s Trunk or Treat Wednesday and had so much fun seeing our friend’s kids all dressed up. I love how some people go all out and really get creative.

Halloween Round-up of recipes, decor and more!

I compiled a few of my Halloween related posts and other blogger’s posts that I have read recently and put them all together for you in a Halloween round-up! I hope you enjoy reading through some of them. I have a lot of fun reading them and I am constantly inspired by these wonderful women.

Mummy Dogs Recipe

Easy Halloween Carnival Games

Halloween Tablescape

Frankenstein Guacamole Recipe

TMNT Halloween Costume and Spooktacular Extravaganza at Party City

Trunk Or Treat Tutorial

Easy Not So Spooky Halloween Party Ideas

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

The Funniest Halloween Books We Have Ever Read

Candy Corn Caft

Halloween Hayride Costume Party

15 Fang-Tastic Healthy Halloween Snacks

DIY Kid Costumes

Candy Corn Punch

Halloween Printable Activity Sheets

Happy Halloween!

What are your Halloween plan this weekend?

Candy Corn Punch Recipe

October 29, 2015

Halloween is in 2 days! T W O! I am so excited! We have ha a lot going on with Trunk or Treat last night and getting ready for this weekend’s festivities! My cousin is coming into town and we are really more like best friends rather than cousins. We talk multiple times a week and keep each other sane in this crazy world. I love her to death and have missed her so much, so I am getting really excited to see her. And, I may have just squealed a little. Now, on to the candy corn. I mean, punch.

This past Sunday, our life group met at our house and because it was the week of Halloween, I wanted to make some yummy punch to mix things up a little and make it a little more festive to get everyone in the pumpkin spirit. Plus, I challenged myself to at least one new recipe a week, and I slacked off last week, so I figured this would sort of make up for it. Right? I looked at some recipes and kind of did a variation of several mixed together just to experiment a little and it turned out to be delicious! In fact, I downed the entire glass after I took these photos! So good.

So, here’s how you make this wonderful candy corn concoction:

Ingredients:

5 Cups of Orange Juice
6 Cups of Ginger Ale
1 Cup of Pineapple Juice (I used organic)
A Handful of Candy Corn

Directions:

Pour 4 cups of ginger ale in a bowl and put the handful of candy corn in it to soak for two hours in the refrigerator. After that, strain the candy corn out of the liquid and pour the candy corn/ginger ale mixture into your punch bowl. Mix in 2 more cups of chilled Ginger Ale, 5 cups or Orange Juice and 1 cup of Pineapple Juice in the punch bowl and mix it very well. Garnish your table with candy corn and fun Halloween straws and you are good to go!

This recipe is so easy and really delicious! Plus, it’s orange, so it is perfect for all of your fall and Halloween themed parties! I hope you enjoy it!

P.S, Are you dressing up for Halloween? What are you going to be?

Halloween Recipe: Mummy Dogs

October 19, 2015

This post is sponsored by Pillsbury but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Halloween has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember, but it has been made even better since having kids. I enjoy picking out their Halloween costumes (while I still can – sort of), making cute little crafts, participating in our church’s trunk or treat and making yummy Halloween recipes! Last week, I decided to make H a fun little Halloween themed lunch! He wasn’t feeling great and I wanted to make him a special treat to lift his spirits.

One of H’s current favorite foods is of course, – the hotdog. #AmericanKid Since this is his favorite, I decided to make Mummy Dogs. The perfect Halloween themed lunch!

I preheated the oven to 375 and while I waited for it to heat, I rolled out my Pillsbury crescent rolls and grabbed my pizza cutter and began to cut thin strips. After I had several cut, I dried off my hotdog wieners and began wrapping the strips around them. I didn’t try to make it perfect and in fact, I noticed that the sloppier I got with it, the better they looked, so don’t be afraid to go a little crazy.

I left a little room for the eyes for after they baked. After they were all wrapped up, I placed them on a cookie sheet and popped them in the over for 9 minutes (or until golden brown). Once they were finished, I let them cool for a couple of minutes and then used mustard as eyeballs. I added a little ketchup (or in this case “blood”) to H’s plate because he loves to dip everything.

These were a huge hit with my son! I think I will make it a little tradition in our house to make these every October. They are so easy and a big hit with the kids!

Be sure to grab your $1 off Pillsbury Crescent Rolls coupon while supplies last and enter to win $10 in the rafflecopter below!

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