Ooglie Eyeballs Recipe

Well it sure has been a long time since Ive updated... Ive just been really busy with my other blogs. This ones just been put on the back burner :-)
In the spirit of Halloween though I thought I'd post a recipe I tried this season for a costume party... The recipe didnt make a lot... but it was still very interesting to work with.
If I had to do this over again I would make 2-3 batches...

Here ya go!


*click image for larger view* - Mine look very rough haha

Ooglie Eyeballs

Ingredients -

10.25-ounce pouch fudge brownie mix
1 cup Craisins’ Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2 cups white chocolate chips or morsels, melted
Tubes of decorative writing gel: green, red, black

Directions -

1. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Do not overbake. Trim crisp edges from the brownie while warm; eat or discard. Crumble remaining warm brownie into a medium mixing bowl.

2. Combine cranberries and warm crumbled brownie until a thick dough-like mixture forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, pressing firmly. Dip balls in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is firm.

3. To create eyeball decorations, use red gel to make veins, green gel for center of eyes and black for the pupil.

Yield: Makes 16 servings. (I must of made my eyes to big.. it did not make 16 servings HAHA)

Recipe credit: Halloween Desserts

Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

*Click image for full size view*

Ingredients:
2 - 3 pounds of chicken parts
White bread torn into pieces
4 slices Garlic
4 clovesParmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Dry crumbled thyme
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoons Pepper 1/2 teaspoon
Poly unsaturated margarine (low fat kind) 2 tablespoons
Skimmed milk 1/4 cup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.
Put garlic in food processor to chop it. Then add in bread, parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper. Process until the bread is all crumbled.
Then add butter, and process until the butter is well mixed. Place into a large bowl.
Take a piece of chicken and dip it in milk, then coat with the bread mix you just made.
Bake until the chicken is cooked. About 45 minutes to 1 hour
This fried chicken recipe serves about 4 people.

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I loved the recipe. It was easy to make. Didnt cost hardly anything... since most of the ingredients it calls for people have.

The only thing I did differently was instead of using Parmasan Cheese... I used Mont. Jack Cheese... its all I had :-) Tasted fine though!

Caleb even liked this chicken meal.
He isnt fond of baked chicken... but I think its crunchy exterior made him think it was chicken tenders or something, hehe.

RECIPE CREDITS : click here

Berry Bonanza Smoothie

Tonight while eating supper I was glancing through my "Baby Center" magazine I got in the mail. It had a recipe in it that looked very yummy. I went out right after dinner w/ Travis and bought ingredients.

It was especially yummy. Would be even better on a hot day.
I did alter it a bit though. Below I will put the magazines recipe... and under that my alterations.


*click image for full size view*

Ingredients:- 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- 1\2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup frozen berries
(any mix of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries)
- 5 ice cubes

Directions:
Blend ingredients at high speed till smooth. Thin with a little nonfat milk if needed. Makes 2 servings.
Variation: Use frozen banana slices and skip the ice. If berries are to tart for your taste, stir in 1\2 tsp. Splenda (or sugar) or 1 tbs. honey to sweeten.



*click image for fullsize view*

MY changes to the recipe:
Instead of using Vanilla yogurt I used Raspberry Yogurt. I figured that was cheaper than buying both strawberries... and raspberries.

As you can tell Caleb absolutely loved it. He actually cried when we took it away from him... and kept on signing "more, more more" to me after it was taken away.

Enjoy!

Easy Muffins

I saw this recipe today on a fellow kitchen bloggers site. I thought when I saw it "thats really simple sounding!" I just happened to have the ingredients... so I baked these.

My thoughts on the recipe:
A bit blan... but with a dash of butter on top of the muffins these tasted great. (Butter rocks!)They would be good with chicken or breakfast dish. It reminded me of a biscuit or corn bread.
The one thing I did do differently though is used "French Vanilla Ice Cream" instead of regular Vanilla...
So maybe thats why mine were different.
Any how give it a try if you want some easy muffins :-)

Ingredients
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups self-rising flour, sifted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Blend ice cream and flour until flour is moistened and a lumpy batter forms. Fill 10 greased muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out dry.

Recipe works well with any creamy ice cream, ie, no ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby or the like.

RECIPE FROM: HERE

This is a photo of my results -

Simple Italian Chicken

Italian Chicken is one of the easiest recipes to make. I got this recipe from my husbands Sister Tracy. It was one of my favorite things she'd cook for us on Sunday afternoons.

There are numerous ways you can cook this... but I'll share with you the way I enjoy it.

Ingredients:

1. 4-6 Chicken Breast *you can use any type of chicken though... boneless, or w/ bones, it doesnt matter*

2. 1 low fat zesty Italian dressing bottle (light or low fat either one)

3. Salt and pepper to taste

4. Water

Directions:

1. Season the chicken w/ Salt and Pepper on both sides.

2. Place chicken into a crockpot on low heat

3. Cover the chicken with the Italian Dressing (should be fully drenched in it...)

4. Add water if needed to cover the chicken up. Not needed if you have enough dressing.

5. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours... or longer. The longer you cook it the better it will taste!

Thats it! Simple huh? Its so yummy as well! I usually serve my Italian chicken with rolls, green bean snaps, macaroni and corn. Its such a simple an low cost dish you can make.

The reason I dont have a picture of my actual cooked chicken is because the night I cooked this (on Friday) we had guest over for dinner... so I knew had I said "Wait! let me take a picture of our food first." they would of thought I was a nut. So I held back and just looked up an Italian Chicken recipe photo on google. (although the above picture looks as if the chicken was grilled... hehe, thats okay!).

Hope you all enjoy it... it seriously is super yummy.

Oh yea and my guest that we served this to loved it... and also really REALLY loved the macaroni dish I made. Its the "Ritz Cracker Macaroni" recipe. Its so simple.. but has such a unique flavor!

Have a great day! Happy eating!

Quick Chick & Noodle

I made this recipe yesterday for dinner. I figured it would be quick to make and good for Caleb to eat since he is sick. I got the recipe out of my Rachael Ray 30-minute comfort foods recipe book. I love her recipes. They are so simple and very easy to make. They taste great as well.

I didnt get a picture of my soup... I didnt think about posting this recipe until this morning... so I apologize for that. I found a google pic though of some soup that looks similar to what I made.

Ingredients:

~ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (once around the pan)
~ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (or tenders)
~ 2 carrots, peeled and diced
~ 1 medium yellow-skinned onion, chopped (I dont use onions in my soup. I dont like onions very much and neither does Travis. So I dont add them. It taste fine without onions, but if you enjoy that in your soup you can add it.)
~ 2 stalks celery, chopped
~ A few springs thyme, leaves stripped from stem (if you dont have fresh thyme... spice thyme does fine as well. Just add a dash of that to taste.)
~ Coarse salt and black papper, to taste (I season my chicken with this before cooking it... and add salt to the noodles while they boil)
~ 4 cans (15 oz each) low-sodium, no-fat chicken broth
~ 1/2 pound (half a bag) extra-wide egg noodles or no-yolk egg noodles
~ handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (again if you dont have fresh spices its okay. I used my jar spices and they tasted just fine. Although I'm sure fresh would taste better... I just didnt have fresh stuff around at the time I made my soup)

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep pot.
Dice chicken breast and add to the pot. Brown chicken. Add vegetables, thyme, and a little salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Sweat the veggies for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 10 minutes, or until noodles are just tender. Throw in parsley and serve immediatley.

Feeds up to 6 people!

If you are not going to eat a whole pot in one sitting, cook noodles separately and add half a cup to each bowl of soup as you eat through the pot.

" Doctors cannot say why, but many agree that chicken noodle soup, in combination with rest, is the only known cure for the common cold.... Rachael Ray "

Banana Sour Cream Bread

Submitted by: Esther Nelson
Rated: 5 ot of 5 by 397 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 10 minutes
Yields: 32 SERVINGS! (read my blog post on my banana bread boo boo)

* Sour cream gives enough tangy bite to take the edge off this banana breads sweetness. Dusting the baking pans with cinnamon sugar gives these small four loaves a gentle spice undertone. *

INGREDIENTS:

- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3 cups white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 6 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 (16 oz) container sour cream (I used light sour cream and it tasted fine)
- 2 teaspons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspons ground cinnamon
- 1 /2 teaspon salt
- 3 teaspons baking soda
- 4 1\2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional - I didnt use any because I hate walnuts)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F' (150 degrees C'). Grease FOUR 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1\4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspooon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

2. In large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salf, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe from : http://allrecipes.com/favorites/

Mini Pizza's

I got this recipe out of a book called "First Meals" by Annabel Karmel. I got it from my friend April. I made it today and all 3 of us loved it. It was really yummy and so simple.

Its a very simple recipe and easily customized to fit anyones likes.

The main things you will need are:

1. English Muffins
2. Chedder, Cruyere, or mozzarella cheese
3. good tomato sauce
4. butter
5. pepperoni, ham or sausage
6. salt and pepper, to taste

Other items you can use (optional)

7. mushrooms sliced
8. corn kernels
9. pepper strips
10. cheese shapes
11. basil leaves
12. olives
13. thinly sliced zucchini
14. chopper scallions

.........

Directions:
1. I split muffins in half
2. Spread butter on top like I was buttering toast
3. Spread tomato sauce over top lightly (not to thick)
4. added shredded cheese
5. added pepperoni
6. toasted on 300'F in my toaster oven for 5 minutes or so (or until cheese was fully melted and muffins lightly toasted)

Its pretty simple to make.
Now the book gives really indepth directions... I'll post those below.

Adding a selection of colorful vegetables to mini pizzas is a great way to encourage your child to eat more vegetables. For a special occasion, you might like to make animal face designs, as shown above.

1. To make the topping, heat the butter (1 tbsp.) in a pan, add the scallions (1 tbsp), and saute' for 1 minute. Add the zucchini (1\2 cup) and mushrooms (3/4 cup) and saute until just tender, about 4 minutes. Season to taste.
2. Lightly toast the muffins or baguette. Divide the tomato sauce between each of the cut sides of muffin evenly, then sprinkle with cheese. Top with cooked veggies, perhaps making patters or animal faces, then cook under a preheated broiler until the cheese is bubbling and golden. If desired, use the corn, uncooked peppers, cheese, olives and basil to decorate further.


Prep/cooking
10 minutes/15 minutes

Makes 4 portions

Whole Wheat French Toast

This morning I made french toast for Travis and Caleb. I love french toast. Its one of my personally favorites. So I thought I'd give my recipe for the type of french toast I have been taught to make.

ingredients

~Whole Wheat Bread
~2 large eggs
~1/4 cup 1% milk
(I usually dont measure my milk.. I just pour in a bit... so you can really add as much as you'd like depending on your taste. If you want the french toast w/ a eggier type flavor... add less milk. You can use 2% or whole milk as well.
~A dash of Vanilla Extract
~Cinnamon Sugar
~Powdered Sugar
~Reduced fat Syrup

directions

1.Pre-heat your frying pan. I use a flat frying pan with no sides... makes it easier when flipping the toast. Spray it with a non-stick cooking spray. Let it heat up til you can feel the heat rising off the top of it. But not to hot...otherwise it will burn the toast.
2. Mix the 2 large white eggs together in a wide bowl. Add in milk, and Vanilla Extract.
3. Dip both sides of the toast into egg mixture covering both sides. Then place on pan. Cook toast until a golden brown on both sides.
4. After its done cooking add powdered sugar and cinammon sugar to taste.
5. Server with warm syrup! :-)

Now in the picture above the toast doesnt have powdered sugar. I like to add powdered sugar... but I didnt have any around. If you dont put any it taste great by itself with just the cinammon sugar.

Directions to make C.Sugar

1. Mix 1 part sugar and the other part cinammon. Simple ;-)

Servings

5 slices (feeds Travis, Caleb and myself just fine.)

Enjoy!

Seco de Carne de Rez

The other day I was visiting my friend Beulah's blog. She had this really neat recipe on her site. It was a peruvian style beef stew (Seco de Carne de Rez) . Now I tell you... I'm all about a good beef stew. I got one of the best beef stew recipes out there (I THINK!) haha... So I'm up for trying different types.
This type of beef stew was really yummy... and so simple to make. It had a very ethnic type taste though. So if your not much into a lot of spices ... you may not like this one. Although Travis loved it and he isnt to ethnic himself ;-)

I did do a few things differently. I'll go ahead and point them out.
I didnt use "beef" in the stew. I used "pork.." Its cheaper and works just as well. Plus they say its healthier.
Also... I didnt use fresh cilantro. I used spice cilantro. I measured it out right I think. Tasted right any way :-)
ALSO. I added carrots in mine... just for a lil' something extra besides pea's... and also... I used red new potatoes instead of baking potatoes. I also left the skin on mine... just because I like the skin. :-)
It turned out well... and CALEB LOVED IT. Theres a picture of him enjoying it below.


(click for enlarge image)
...........
Ingredients:
3 Tb Cooking oil
1 Tb minced garlic (use more or less according to your taste)
1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
Salt
Pepper
Cumin, just a pinch
Chunks of beef (here we can get beef already cut for stews,
but anything that would make a decent stew will do)
1 tomato (preferably a roma tomato), chopped
Potatoes, peeled and largely cubed
1 cup cilantro mixture*
1 cup frozen peas

Prep:
In a dutch oven or medium sized cooking pot, heat oil, garlic
and onions until lightly browned and onions are almost cooked.
Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Add in chunks of beef and
tomato and cook until beef releases its juices or until it’s no longer
red all over. Meanwhile, using a blender, create your cilantro mixture.
Pour cilantro mixture over beef and tomato mix, add potatoes.
Cook covered at medium low heat until potatoes are almost done,
about 15-20 minutes. Add peas. Cover and simmer another 10-15 minutes.
Serve over rice and garnish with some fresh parsley. Enjoy!

*Cilantro mixture

Ingredients:
1/2 a bunch of cilantro (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh)
1/2 cup water (approx.)
4 Tb oil (optional)

Prep:
Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth
and until you have about 1-2 cups mixture.

Better-Than-Ever Enchiladas

(picture of the Enchilada's I made today - They were YUMMY!)

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 45 min
Makes: 4 servings
Nutrition Information
Kraft Kitchens Tips


Ingredients:
1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
2 cups TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa, divided
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT! Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (I didnt use any Cilantro.. cause I didnt have any. They tasted just fine without it. Either way is good I'm sure)

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Cook meat and peppers in large nonstick skillet on medium heat until meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup of the salsa; simmer 3 to 4 min. or until peppers are tender. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.

SPREAD 1/4 cup of the salsa onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Brush dressing lightly over both sides of tortillas. Stack 4 of the tortillas on large sheet of waxed paper; wrap tortillas in waxed paper. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 sec. or just until warm. Immediately spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture down center of each warm tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in dish. Repeat with remaining 4 tortillas and remaining meat mixture. Spoon remaining 3/4 cup salsa evenly over filled tortillas; cover with foil.

BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Uncover; top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with cilantro



KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS

Makeover Savings Try this madeover version of beef enchiladas that can save you 200 calories and 18 grams of fat per serving by decreasing the beef and using a leaner variety, adding peppers, and using KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese. Cooking Know-How Corn tortillas are typically fried in oil to prevent cracking, but in this healthy version the tortillas are spread with dressing and warmed to minimize cracking.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutrition Bonus:A serving of this low-calorie Mexican entree provides both vitamin C from the peppers and calcium from the cheese. Enjoy!

Diet Exchange:2 Starch,2 Vegetable,2 Meat (VL),1 Fat Nutrition (per serving)Calories 340 Total fat 11g Saturated fat 5g Cholesterol 55mg Sodium 1310mg Carbohydrate 38g Dietary fiber 5g Sugars 6g Protein 23g Vitamin A 25%DV Vitamin C 50%DV Calcium 50%DV Iron 15%DV

TACO BELL Logo and HOME ORIGINALS are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp.
Recipe from : Kraft Foods . com

ANOTHER PIC OF THE ENCHILADA'S I MADE TODAY

Cookie Cake Mix Recipe

I don't have a picture of this recipe ... but I plan on making these tomorrow for the 1st time. I have lots of cake mixes in my pantry... and was searching online for a simple recipe that you could use cake mixes with.
This one makes cookies!
So here it is:


"A twist on plain old cake or cookies. Great combos of the optional ingredients - toffee bits, walnuts, peanut butter chips - make this recipe everyone's personal favorite."
Original recipe yield: 2 dozen.

Prep Time:
5 Minutes
Cook Time:
10 Minutes
Ready In:
40 Minutes
Servings:
24 (change)

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or other goodies

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Bake less for chewy cookies and more for crispy cookies. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

My Beef Stew Recipe!

I was looking at my friend Heathers site today and saw a few recipes. I thought I'd post one of my recipes for once though. :-) I dont do this often... so here goes!

My Beef Stew Recipe

Ingredients:
~ 1 Package of beef stew meat (About a pound of meat) *You can use pork if you don't like beef... it taste almost the same... and its even cheaper!*

~ 1 Can of Cream of Mushroom soup

~ 1 Can of Cream of Chicken soup

~ 1 Can of Cream of Potato soup

~ 1 dry package of French Onion soup

~ 1 or two large baking potatoes chopped in squares or chopped in slices
~ a dozen or so small carrots
~ 1 cup of water or more (you add more if you want it to be more soup like *I like my stew really chunky and thick though... so I usually only add 1 cup*)

Put all of these things into a large CROCKPOT. Mix them up really good... and let it cook on LOW for atleast 5-7 hours. The longer you cook it the more tender your meat will be!

Serve over hot rice....

And be ready for a yummm yumm yummy meal!

Ritz Mac & Cheese

I was looking online today for a easy recipe I could make with stuff I already had at home... So I went to www.kraftfoods.com. They have all sorts of easy recipes and cute ideas for kids.

Any how. This is the one I am going to try today (I liked it because all you need are a few simple and cheap ingrediants!):

One-Pan Mac & Cheese Bake
2 pkg. (7-1/4 oz. each) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
4 cups boiling water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut up
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
24 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)



PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place Macaroni in prepared dish. Stir in boiling water; cover with foil.
BAKE 15 min., stiriing after 7 min.
STIR in Cheese Sauce Mix, milk and butter. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and crushed crackers. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted and crackers begin to brown.

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Travis hates it when I cook those boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese... just because its so plain. He likes the old fashion baked mac & cheese. I make the cheap box kind though because its easy, fast and Caleb loves it! Before we had Caleb I use to make the nice baked mac & cheese from scratch. Flour, butter, two kinds of cheese... you name it. It was good.... but it was REALLY expensive to make. Cheese cost a lot.... and it made SO MUCH. Travis and I could never eat enough of it before it went bad. So the box kind just seemed to work better for us... BUT today I'm going to try this out! It looks yummy!

I decided to put my recipes here!

I have a friend who has a page on her blog w/ recipes she's tried. I thought it was a neat idea... I've added a few recipes to my blog over the past few months... but they are hard to find unless you scroll through each archive. So I thought I'd make a blog just for this.

Enjoy! ;-)