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! ;-)