Party with Squares

Hello everyone!

I haven't posted in so long that I almost forgot how to do it! Well, I have been so very busy and haven't had a lot of time to blog, but I did have this post already prepared and just never published it for some reason. My daughter turned 2 in January, so that tells you something! I am planning on jumping back on the blogging bandwagon and will be posting a lot more. Here are a few recipes to keep an eye out for! Thai Chicken Curry, Monkey Bread, Lamb Chops, Apple Dumplings, Baked Chicken Wings, and a few freezer meals like Beef Enchilada and Chicken Lasagna Rolls are just a few of the recipes to come!

I know you all are going to be out celebrating and remembering our service men and women this Memorial Day! I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend! 

And for all those summer bbq parties, try the recipe in this post out! It will be a big hit!!

Here is the post as written in January. Enjoy!

 

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! I know mine is a busy one! My daughter turns 2 on Sunday and as usual, I have a lot to do in preparation for your party, even though it is just a small pizza, cake, and ice cream party!  Funny how that happens!

Anyways, speaking about parties, that brings us to my next recipe. This recipe is a fantastic one for a party dish! So if you are going to a party and want to bring something other than the same old meatballs, which I do love and will post a recipe for soon, then you will find this recipe very useful! It is always a hit when I take it to parties, so I know you will get the same compliments!

Clubhouse Chicken Squares

(recipe adapted from The Pampered Chef's All The Best From Our Kitchen to Yours Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 packages (8oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 1/2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
1/2 small cucumber
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Seed, slice, and quarter cucumber and seed and dice roma tomatoes.

3. Cook bacon till crispy, drain and crumble, set aside for later use.

4. Unroll one package of crescent rolls across a 15 1/2" x 10" baking sheet or stone with long sides of dough across width of pan. Repeat with remaining package of dough. (I use my Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan)

5. Using a small bakers roller, roll dough to seal perforations and press up sides to for a crust.

6. Bake dough for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.

7. In a bowl, press garlic and combine with softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dill weed; mixing well.

8. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust.

9. Top with chopped chicken.

10. Sprinkle cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and crumbled bacon over chicken.

11. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Options:
You can use reduced fat cream cheese and mayonnaise to make it lighter. You can also use a reduced fat crescent roll dough. I have also used the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations dough to avoid the perforated triangle pieces.

Thankful use for leftover Turkey!

Hello and Happy 2013 Everyone!!

I have big plans for 2013!  I plan on getting my Mary Kay business up and running, which means I have to get out of my comfort zone and start talking to literally everyone! I will be cleaning out my closet, literally! Along with every room in my house. One of the other things I plan on doing is sticking to our weekly meal plan! I am planning on at least 1 slow cooker meal a week and 1 Deep Covered Baker meal, or just a Pampered Chef recipe, a week as well. My goal is to practice more new recipes for shows, to use more new products, and really spread my food budget out wisely with leftovers whenever I can! Since August, I have been working part time and so there is at least 1 or 2 nights a week I am not home. So leftovers are great for my husband and daughter. Also on my list is to make more freezer dinners, or those nights that my hubby just doesn't want what I have planned on the menu! 

 

So, for the beginning of 2013 and my list of new plans, I have made a fabulous, super easy, slow cooker soup!  I have to admit that I chose this recipe because I made a turkey for Christmas dinner and needed to use up the leftovers. So, after defrosting the leftover turkey, I got started. Here is the recipe!  Please do not forget to pin this recipe (the pin it button is on the actual page for the recipe) if you like it and share my blog on facebook.

 

Thankful Fiesta Soup

(recipe adapted from Crockingirls.com)

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Cups Leftover Turkey, chopped
• 20 Ounces Chicken Broth (I used 2 1/2 teaspoons of Better Than Boullionwith 20oz hot water)
• 1 Can Black Beans, drained
• 1 Can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
• 2 10oz Cans Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
• 1 Can Tomato Paste
• 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 Ounces Queso Blanco Velveeta Cheese
• 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• Sour Cream & Tortilla Chips for Topping (optional)

            Instructions:

1. Mix all in the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours.

 

That is seriously it! This soup is a simple throw together if you have leftovers!!  It would be great with leftover chicken too!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years!
In 2013 I plan to get back to this blog that is so fun for me!
So watch for new posts next year!

PB&J how??

Happy first week in June everyone!
Do you like peanut butter? Do you like jelly or jam? I love both of those but sometimes a pb&j sandwich makes me feel like I am eating a kids school lunch! lol Well, this recipe is about to change that!  Adults and children alike love these and they are suppose to make everyone happy and feel child like! While cupcakes have a European ancestor in the Queen Cake, a small pound cake with fruit baked in a paper cup which was popular among the upper crust British in the 18th century, the cupcake itself is definitely an American fair. Not to be confused with the cup cake, which was a cake made in Colonial America when they used actual cups as a form of measurements due to a lack of standard weights and measures, the cupcake was born from the need of sweets when baking a large cake was hard to pull off. In Colonial kitchens everything was baked and cooked by fire, so cake batter would be poured into a heat-proof cup and baked at the edge of the kitchen fire. Thank goodness for those innovative early Americans! So now that the history lesson is over, on to the recipe!


I found this recipe watching The Chew. Do any of you watch that show? I love it! Anyways, Carla Hall made them on the show and I just knew I had to try it! So last I whipped a batch together and they were FABULOUS!!!  These are some very tasty cupcakes! All peanut buttery with a strawberry buttercream frosting! Honestly, I loved the frosting so much I couldn't stop eating it from the bowl!  I am not very good at frosting, will have to practice a lot more, so don't giggle too much at the picture. I hope you all like them as much as my family did!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
(recipe adapted from The Chew)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Cake Flour (spooned and leveled)

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup water (hot)

4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (softened)

2/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/3 cup Canola oil

3 Large Eggs (slightly beaten)

1/2 cup sour cream

For the Frosting:

3 cups Confectioners Sugar

1 cup Butter

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 tablespoon Whole Milk

2 tablespoons Strawberry Jam

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat over to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a mixer bowl, combine brown sugar and hot water, mixing on low for a few seconds until sugar dissolves.

4. Add butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, salt, and oil, mixing to combine.

5. Mixing on low, gradually add flour, mixing just until combined and remove bowl. (don't over mix)

6. Mix eggs and sour cream together in a separate bowl.

7. Stir egg mixture into batter.

8. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way.

9. Bake for 18-20 minutes until middle of cupcake springs back. (do not over bake)

10. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Frosting Instructions:

1. With the whisk attachment, beat confectioners sugar and butter until well blended, beginning on low and gradually increasing the speed.

2. Add the strawberry jam, vanilla, and milk, continuing to beat until a spreadable consistency is reached.

3. Frost the cooled peanut butter cupcakes and serve.

Options:

I made the frosting with strawberry jam and whole milk, because that is what I had on hand but the original recipe calls for strawberry puree and heavy cream. Also, using a different fruit for the frosting would be really fun! For a lighter version, piping some fruit puree folded into light or fat free whipped topping would also be very good!

I just wanted to show you how wonderful just the cupcakes looked when they come out of the oven! Yummy!!

Get Ready for Company!

(Ok, so being new to this blogging thing, I some how removed my previous post of this recipe. I really have no idea what happened, but oh well, I am sure it will not be the last mishap. LOL So please enjoy, again!)
For today's post I wanted to do something a little sweet but also practical.  I love to make these for when we have overnight company or in the morning, or even just as a snack! As a matter of fact, I like pretty much all muffins! lol Baked goods are one of my weaknesses.  These muffins are wonderful with or without the streusel!  The trick to having moist muffins, or cakes and bread as well, is to not over mix once you have added the wet ingredients to the flour. 

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
(recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook: Everything you need to know to cook)

Ingredients: 

Streusel Topping

4 Tbsp firm stick or butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Muffins

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 tsp baking owder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup fresh or canned (drained) blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Grease the bottoms only of medium muffin pan with shortening or line with paper baking cups.

3. Prepare streusel by cutting margarine into 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl until crumbly and set aside.

4. Beat milk, oil, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl.

5. Whisk together  flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

6. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture all at once just until flour is moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

7. Fold in blueberries.

8. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

9. Sprinkle each with 2-3 tsp of streusel topping.

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

11. Immediately remove from pan to cooling rack.

Options: Try using whole wheat flour to make this a little healthier. Also, you could add 1 Tbsp of poppy seeds to change up the usual recipe.

Tools I used for this recipe:
Classic Batter Bowl
Adjustable Measuring Spoons
Mini Measure-All Cup
Easy Read Measuring Cup
Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
Muffin Pan
Stainless Whisk
Bamboo Spoon Set

Pan-tastic Panini!!!

Hello everyone!

I hope you are having a great week! So I am sure you have seen some variation of the today's recipe all over the place. Wraps have been hitting restaurants in masses with many different fillings as a healthier selection compared to a sandwich. I have only tried of few of those out there and do like some of what I have had. I found today's recipe in The Pampered Chef's Spring/Summer 2012 Season's Best Recipe Collection and was very intrigued by all the different ingredients and how they were going to mingle together to create a wonderful wrap! And to top it off, it is grilled!! No more soggy wraps! One of the reason's I love this recipe is that you cook it on a grill pan inside! I am still working on my grilling skills, the grill outside is pretty intimidating if I am making anything other than grilled veggies. Plus, I always see the chef's on the cooking shows use an indoor grill pan, so it made me feel a little special and I wasn't nervous about it at all! Another great thing about this recipe is that including cooking the chicken, it doesn't take long to make at all, about 30 minutes. Gotta love those quick meals for those busy days! The wraps came out fantastic! My husband and I loved them and I will defiantly add them to the rotation of meals!

So I know I always list what Pampered Chef tools I have used to make a recipe but I haven't really talked much about our products, so here is where I do a little sells, being a Pampered Chef Consultant and all. If you haven't tried any of our pantry items, this would be a great recipe to to get started! The recipe requires a dijon mustard rub and The Pampered Chef has a great one! I have used it on both pork chops and chicken, and it is wonderful! Also, if you do not yet have a grill pan and press and would like to get one, The Pampered Chef has a fantastic dinner set that comes with the pan, press, panini spatula, dijon mustard rub, season's best cookbook, and a Color Coated Bread Knife! Or you can purchase what you need separately.

Grilled Chicken, Ham & Swiss Wraps

(recipe adapted from Spring/Summer 2012 Season's Best Recipe Collection by The Pampered Chef)

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard Rub, divided

1 large while dill pickle

6oz Swiss cheese

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, pressed

16 thin slices low-sodium deli ham

4 11in flour tortillas

Instructions:

1. Brush chicken with oil and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of rub.

2. Arrange chicken in microwavable baker (Deep Covered Baker), cover with lid and microwave on high for 8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F.

3. While the chicken cooks, slice pickles lengthwise with a vegetable peeler and grate cheese. 

4. Combine mayonnaise, pressed garlic clove, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp of rub in a large bowl, mix well and set aside.

5. Remove chicken from baker to a cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes.

6. Dice chicken into 1/2-in pieces.

7. Add chicken to mixing bowl with mayonnaise sauce and stir to coat.

8. Warm the tortillas between two paper towels in a microwave on high for 30-45 seconds to make them easier to roll.

9. To assemble wraps, layer two slices of ham width wise over center of one tortilla, overlapping as necessary; top with 1/3 of chicken mixture, 1/3 of pickle slices, then two additional slices of ham, and 1/3 o the cheese.

10. Fold in sides of tortilla and roll up tightly like a burrito.

(I ran out of ham when I made this video of how to assemble the wrap, so I used 1 peice of ham split for the top layer of ham but it will fold alright with the 2 peices of ham on top.)

11. Repeat the assembly and folding 3 more times to make 4 wraps total.

12. Preheat grill pan and grill pan press over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, repeat as necessary.

13. Place wraps in pan; top with grill press and cook for 3-4 minutes or until grill marks appear.

14. Remove wraps from pan; cut in half on bias and serve immediately.

Tools I used preparing this recipe:

Chef's Silicone Basting Brush

Deep Covered Baker

Cutting Board

Chef's Knife

Serrated Peeler

Microplane Adjustable Coarse Grater

Garlic Press

Classic Batter Bowl

Grill Pan

Grill Press

Nylon Panini Spatula

Dijon Mustard Rub

Super Shrimp!

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend!  This week's recipe is a definite keeper! If you want a quick, easy, light meal, take note of this one! This meal was made by my husband and he said he would make it again for sure!  I wanted to do something fun and light for the summer and I saw this recipe on Pinterest, so I had to try it! With the heat here, heavy meals tend to weigh us down, so I try to make light meals when we are going to be out in the sun for the day and this one was perfect.  Just don't go too heavy handed with the cayenne pepper unless you like more heat!!

Ever make a recipe that calls for a certain size of shrimp listed as a number and wonder what exactly that meant? Well this is something that use to stump me often until I researched it, so I wanted to share it with everyone, so you don't have to use the friendly search engine to get the answer you are looking for. So for example, this recipe calls for shrimp in the size of (31-35) or large shrimp. The numbers 31-35 represent how many shrimp there will be per pound and some packages will list it as (31-35 per pound). I don't know if I was just completely oblivious to this or not, but for some reason the numbers just baffled me. So, the less shrimp there are per pound the bigger they are. When you get into the bigger sizes they will be listed as U10 - U15. The U means "under" so this means under that number of shrimp per pound.  I don't know why I had such a problem with this as it is pretty simple, but there you have it.  So if you happen to have shrimp bigger than what is called for in this recipe, you can cut them into bite size pieces.

Super Simple Shrimp Tacos
(recipe adapted from Clean & Delicious with Dani Spies)

Ingredients:
1 lb of frozen raw large shrimp (31 - 35); defrosted, peeled, & deveined
6oz fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 a head of cabbage, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
8 flour tortillas
1 ripe avocado
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat tortillas over medium heat in a dry skillet until warm and starts to form small brown spots. Set aside on a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel.

2. Mix yogurt, cayenne, lime juice, cilantro, & salt in a small bowl, set aside.

3. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet and add cabbage, cooking for about four minutes or until cabbage is barely wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

4. Saute shrimp in 2 tsp of olive oil and seasons with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper over medium heat just until done. Shrimp cooks really fast so be sure to watch them to avoid over cooking.

5. Cut avocado into thin strips or dice.

6. Build your tacos! Place a scoop of cabbage on a warmed tortilla then top with shrimp, avocado, and cilantro sauce. Enjoy!

Options: When I read this recipe on Dani's website, it sounded wonderful! I like yogurt so I thought the sauce sounded great, which it was, however, my husband does not really like yogurt, so if you want to make it a little differently you could use sour cream instead of the yogurt. Also, I added the avocado to the recipe.