We love pumpkin pie! I thing I love about both Thanksgiving an Christmas is all the flavors put into cooking. It makes the food so yummy. While on pinterest I came across a recipe for pumpkin cookies. With it being so simple and only needing two ingredients I picked them up at the store and gave it a shot last night. 1 box of spice cake mix 1 can of pumpkin Mix them together, preheat oven at 350 and bake. I baked mine for 12 minutes. These were super good. I went one step farther though, and I had to try the new cool whip cream cheese frosting. To die for, these are melt in your mouth yummy. If you have a sweet tooth and want something quick, easy and cheap these would be the cookies for you. … [Read more...]
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
October 26, 2012 By 1 Comment
Often times I get a sweet tooth and I have to find something to sooth it. I had cupcakes but no frosting, so what better way to sooth a sweet tooth, make cupcakes, and figure out how to make homemade frosting. Off to the kitchen I went... 1 stick of butter 3/4 cup dark cocoa 1 1/2 cups powder sugar 4 tablespoons warm water mix it all together and you have some yummy chocolate frosting. My husband came in and tried it, said it tasted just like store bought, my cupcakes were happy to have a top on them, and my tummy was happy to have the sweets in it, that I really didn't need. Make some yummy home made dark chocolate frosting with no milk. … [Read more...]
Get UNJUNKED with UNREAL Candy!
October 17, 2012 By 6 Comments
As I've been working on 'de -junking' my house and getting my family to eat healthy I was introduced to a brilliant candy called UNREAL. First, a bit of information:UNREAL™ exists because a thirteen year old boy asked one Halloween why candy needs to be so unhealthy. After an argument with his father, he did a bit of research only to find that candy is filled with bad things like hydrogenated oils and artificial colors and flavors. And what’s worse, he found out that those ingredients don’t make candy taste better, they simply make it cheaper to produce. Nicky believed that candy without the junk could be made and that it would taste better. And he and his father and brother decided to prove it. And they did. UNREAL™ provides many of the great flavor combinations we love in our treats, but without the corn syrup, without the partially hydrogenated oils, without the GMOs, without the artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, and with 40% less sugar per serving on … [Read more...]
Tasty Thursday: Turkey Stirfry and Rice
June 27, 2012 By 1 Comment
Weight loss can be tricky, finding the perfect combo in making a healthy meal can be fun though. I guess we can call this a turkey stirfry, it was a very big hit with my family... Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground turkey 1 bag of mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) 1 onion diced 1 can of cilantro and lime tomatoes Garlic to taste cilantro to taste Sriracha 2 cups Whole Grain Rice First you want to cook up the ground turkey, once the turkey is cooked you will add the onions, garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, and mixed veggies. While this is cooking cook your whole grain rice. Then add the sriracha, i suggest only adding a small amount this stuff can be spicy! Once everything is cooked serve over the rice. This makes a very nice healthy meal, and it's so tasty! Cooking healthy is still bit of a challenge to me, I am experimenting with different ingredients to see what we like and what we don't like. This one happened to be a win for the whole … [Read more...]
Summer Salads
June 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Summer is now in full swing! Which means a lot of cook-outs, and a lot of side dishes. Being in the South when one cooks out it seems they make enough food for a small army, or at least enough food to last a week. One of the favorites in my husband's family is BBQ Bologna, I personally am not a fan, but then what again do I know about good foods. I do know how to make some killer side dishes though, being from the North we specialize in those sides. One of my all time favorites is Macaroni Salad. Now everyone has their own version of this household favorite, mine I learned from my mom, and boy is it a huge hit with the in laws. How much of everything used it all up to you, it depends on how many you're feeding, and how much left overs you want. Macaroni Salad Frozen sweet peas Tuna Fish CHEESE I like to use the colby jack and I cut it into chunks. Macaroni (I use the shells) Miracle Whip Basically, you make your pasta, chill it then add everything mix it well … [Read more...]
BBQ Pizza Recipe
January 7, 2012 By 1 Comment
Pizza has to be one of my favorite foods. What makes pizza to me is the crust, if the pizza doesn't have the yummy crust you can forget it. At one time I refuse to purchase store bought pizza, the crust was just blah. Until I had great value pizza, that is some of the best store bought pizza I have ever had! However, I have learned to make some pretty yummy at home pizza as well. Recently, we had some pork that needed to be used, what better way to use up some pork butt than shred it and bbq it. Well there wasn't enough there for sandwiches so pizza it was. My husband and the South has wore off on me, and we bbq just about everything! I used store bought pizza dough Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce Mozzarella cheese Sweet Onions The amount you use really all depends on you, I used one whole purple onion, sauteed. 4 cups of Mozzarella cheese, 2 store bought pizza doughs, you know the ones in the can that scare you when you pop it open LOL, and about a pound of pork … [Read more...]
The Best Ever Green Bean Casserole
November 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
One of my daughter's favorite Thanksgiving side dish is green bean casserole. For awhile she thought the only time you made it was during the holidays. Not only is this dish fairly cheap to make, it is also extremely easy. Green Bean Casserole Recipe 2 (10.75 ounce) cans Cream of Mushroom Soup 3/4 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 8 cups cooked cut green beans 2 2/3 cups French's French Fried Onions Mix cream of mushroom soup, pepper, and milk in a sauce pan. I like to heat this up some so it mixes better with the green beans. Once you have it heated stir in 1 cup of the french's friend onions, and the green beans. Bake in the oven on 350 for about 20 minutes. Then top with the remaining onions, and bake another 5 minutes. This is sure to be a huge hit! … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe
November 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
One great thing about the fall is the colors, and the PUMPKINS! Who doesn't love pumpkins? Growing up my favorite dessert was pumpkin pie. I know certain things in it was not good for me, but pumpkin itself has so many health benefits. So when fall arrives I love to make all those yummy pumpkin dishes. Pumpkin Spice Latte Servings: 2 2 cups milk or non-dairy alternative, such as soy milk 2 tablespoons canned or fresh pureed pumpkin (unsweetened) 2 tablespoons Truvia or sweetener of choice 1 scoop (about 2.5 Tbs) Vanilla Nutrimeal 1 tsp Fibergy Plus 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 2 shots of espresso (about 1/4 cup) or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee Directions: In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sweetener and stir on medium heat until steaming (you can also microwave on high for 2 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in Nutrimeal, Fibergy, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice, then transfer to a blender and whirl for 15 … [Read more...]
Autumn Chili: Cool Weather Treat
November 3, 2011 By 1 Comment
Fall is a time of delicious seasonal flavors. As the leaves change colors, food habits transition from picnics outdoors to warm meals inside the house. Barbecue is replaced by savory stews, and the cool, refreshing salads of the summer step aside to allow hearty fall sides to take center stage. Autumn spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and clove flavor coffees, teas, and desserts. From Halloween treats to the Thanksgiving meal, fall is truly a season of culinary indulgence. There are several staple recipes of the season, but there are various ways to include favorite autumn ingredients to make healthy, distinctive meals. This recipe is a unique take on chili that incorporates favorite autumn ingredients. Ground turkey makes a healthy alternative to beef. Family members may notice this chili has a delightfully smooth texture, but will never suspect that there is healthy pumpkin hidden in the base. This recipe can be modified to compensate personal preferences. Those who prefer a mild … [Read more...]
Bacon Wrapped BBQ Country Style Ribs
October 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Shh don't tell my husband I am telling you this, he may kill me. The other night we decided to have bbq country style ribs. My husband got the idea to wrap them in bacon, then put some sweet baby ray's bbq sauce on them. Let me tell you this, those were to die for! I think my daughter said "Daddy was right these are so good, they just melt in your mouth." Usually when we have ribs this way, they tend to be a bit dry however, this time they were so good! I wish I had me some more right now. I am betting you want me to get to how he did it right? Well I am getting there just hold on, it is only 12:30am and I have a snoring husband on one side, and a daughter who sleeps all weird on the other side... So we took a family size pack of spare ribs, baked them in the oven, don't ask me how long, because I do not keep up with time we cook it until we feel it is done. Isn't that how they did it in the olden days. Anyways, about 30 minutes or so, then my husband wrapped them in bacon, let … [Read more...]
