snickerdoodles

SNICKERDOODLES

{so i have searched high and low for the perfect snickerdoodle recipe. i wanted the crispy outside with a chewy inside. well folks, thanks to my cookie-genius-neighbor, i've found it!}

1 C butter
2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

preheat oven to 375. cream butter and sugar. add vanilla and eggs. mix in dry ingredients. bake for 9-12 min.

Enchilada Dip

enchilada dip
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
{I used my canned chicken}
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1-8oz. carton of sour cream

1-8oz. package shredded cheddar cheese
1-4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced (optional)
1/2 onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper


Cook and shred chicken. Mix soup, sour cream, cheese, chili peppers, jalapeno, onion, salt, and pepper. Add shredded chicken.
Bake uncover in 2-3 quart casserole dish for 30 minutes @ 350 or until edges are golden brown and center is hot. (I always double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan.)
Serve with tortilla chips.

{this is perfect for the summer...sitting outside snacking on some chips and dip. the whole family loves this}

Citrus Water Punch

photo courtesy of my kitchen cafe

Citrus Water Punch

{Corinne...remember we used to have this at your mom's house and I LOVED it!}

2 tablespoons citric acid (you can find this at most pharmacies or natural food stores)
5 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pure lemon extract
3 sliced lemons
3 sliced limes
Crushed ice

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, stir water, sugar, citric acid, and lemon extract together. Add sliced fruit and ice.

**if you have leftover punch, remove the sliced limes and lemons before refrigerating. The limes and lemons will give the punch an overly sour acidic taste if the punch is stored overnight that way.

{i found this at sisterscafe.blogspot.com}

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

We had yummy Spaghetti Sauce last night for dinner and I wanted to share the easy recipe!

I made up a fresh tomato mozzarella salad to go with our spaghetti and it was so good.

I did a freezer dinner exchange last night so I had to take my recipe x 3.

My kitchen looked a little funny with THREE big crockpots in it!

It was a great deal, I cooked my spaghetti, divided it into gallon sized ziplocs and headed to my meet up with six of my girlfriends to exchange our food.

So for just a little more time/effort than cooking a normal dinner I came home with seven frozen meals for my family, including my own spaghetti sauce!

*Teryaki beef*

*Lemon-Lime Soy Chicken*

*Honey Lime Enchiladas*

*A chicken/sausage tin foil dinner*

*Meatloaf*

*Lasagna*

*Spaghetti Sauce*

It'll be so nice not to have to plan dinner. I just thaw out in the morning and bake/grill and voila . . . a yummy dinner! Here is the recipe for the sauce:

1 lb. ground beef 1 med. Onion -chopped 1 green pepper – chopped 3 cloves garlic – crushed or chopped 2 cans (14-15 oz.) diced or crushed tomatoes 3 cans (15 oz.) tomato sauce 1 can (15 oz.) black olives 2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms – sliced 1 tsp. ground pepper 2 tbls. parsley leaves – dried 1 tbls. sweet basil leaves – dried 1 tbls. oregano leaves – dried Brown ground beef, onion, green pepper and garlic. Drain. In a large pot on medium, put the browned ground beef, onions, green pepper and garlic and add remaining ingredients in order. When you add the parsley, sweet basil, and oregano, crush in palms of hands to release more flavor before adding to sauce. Stir thoroughly and bring to low boil, reduce heat to low simmer. Cook at low simmer for at least and hour, but the longer the better. I usually just cook for 4-5 hours in my crockpot, time permitting. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Freezes well and makes easy quick dinner. *recipe courtesy of my Mom's cousin, Peggy!

bunny cupcakes

our easter treat is all ready for our egg hunt tomorrow! can't wait!

i just used a box cake mix,

butter cream frosting that goes something like this:
1/3 C softened butter
3 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
milk to desired consistency

i cut {with scissors} the big marshmallows on the diagonal and then dipped them in the pink decorating sugar {b/c it was all nice and sticky}

i used pink jelly beans for the nose
blue jelly beans for the eyes
little marshmallows for the cheeks

Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake

{one of my friends introduced me to this site...yummy treats! this cake was soooo yummy! i loved the chocolate whipped cream frosting!}

Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake

1 Angel Food cake, baked and cooled completely

3 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa

1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds

In a large glass bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Carefully add the powdered sugar and cocoa gradually and continue whipping. I find the best way to do this is to place the bowl in the kitchen sink and whip with a hand mixer so that when it splatters, it doesn't get the entire kitchen messy. The cocoa will look like it is separating and lumpy but continue to beat until stiff peaks form and by then, the cocoa should be evenly combined. (If you are worried about lumps you can sift in the cocoa and powdered sugar with a fine mesh sieve.) The frosting should be thick and spreadable - but not overly whipped or it will look a bit curdly. Just beat to stiff peaks.

When the angel food cake has been baked and cooled completely, cut the cake in half to form two round circles. Lay the top half to the side and gently remove pieces of the angel food cake to form a ditch in the bottom portion of the cake (taking care not to dig all the way to the bottom of the cake, you want a layer of cake on the bottom underneath the ditch). Spoon frosting into the ditch you made and lay the top circle of cake back on top. Frost the sides, top and middle of the cake. Top with toasted almonds. Refrigerate until time to serve. A serrated knife works best to cut the cake into slices.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe (melskitchencafe.com)

BBQ Chicken Pita Pizza

I had forgotten how much I love these, and how easy they are!

I haven't made them for a while!

4-5 Pitas

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

BBQ sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's brand)

8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

A few fresh basil leaves, washed and cut into shreds

Preheat oven to 400º.

Combine the chicken and a little BBQ sauce. Leaving a 1/2 inch border, spread each pita with a small amount of BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, zucchini, onion, and basil. Season generously with salt and pepper and spoon chicken onto pita. Bake on a baking sheet until golden and cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

I used some of my friend Courtney's canned chicken and it was perfect! I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's brand of BBQ sauce, it's my favorite! Just the right amount of "tang". And, I like my veggies as thinly sliced as I can get them because they get a little bit crispy in the oven!