Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

We love those yummy CHOCOLATE cookies topped with marshmallows that Martha Stewart does, so when I saw this recipe on the blog Our Best Bites, I knew I had to try their VERSION. They did not disappoint! Luckily I had neighbors to SHARE them with, otherwise I would have eaten the ENTIRE batch myself. (Well, I might have given a few to the kiddos . . . maybe.)

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
(Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites)

1 chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
2 eggs
12 large marshmallows
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix, shortening, and eggs until well combined. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and bake on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat for about 8 to 10 minutes. While the cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half. When the cookies are done, remove from the oven and put a marshmallow half, cut side down, on top and return to the oven for a minute or two, or until the marshmallow puffs up. Remove from oven and gently push each marshmallow down and let cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat all of the ingredients together until smooth, light, and fluffy. Pipe over the marshmallows using a large tip. Makes 24 cookies.

Honey Garlic Chicken

I'm always looking for EASY recipes that only take a minute or two to throw in the CROCKPOT. This is one of those recipes! It's sweet and TANGY and is perfectly rounded out with some rice and your FAVORITE veggie.

Honey Garlic Chicken
8 to 10 chicken tenders
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
Chili pepper flakes (several good dashes)
Black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Place the chicken and onion in a crockpot sprayed with nonstick spray. In a bowl mix together the honey, oil, soy sauce, ketchup, and seasoning until smooth and then pour over the chicken and onions. Cook on low heat for 6 hours or high heat for 3 hours. Remove chicken with a fork to a plate and set aside. In an airtight container, shake together the cornstarch and water until thoroughly mixed and then stir into liquid in the crockpot. Shred chicken on the plate using 2 forks and then put back into the sauce. Let cook another 30 minutes and then serve over rice.

TIP: Garnish with chopped parsley and toasted sesame seeds for some extra color. You can also add sesame seeds and/or a dash of sesame oil to the mix before cooking for a little different taste.

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

I've really liked exploring and trying different COOKIE options lately. These little guys are both SWEET and SALTY, and the combination is pretty fabulous. If you are like me, these chewy treats will totally satisfy every CRAVING you are currently having. I promise!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies 
(adapted from Lovin' From the Oven)

1/2 cup butter, room temp
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chips
1/2 cup broken pretzel pieces

In a bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces. Chill the dough for an hour, or if you are impatient like me, just go for it. Make about 1-inch dough balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

TIP: Don't overcook these! Start watching them around 9 minutes to make sure you pull them out just as the edges turn golden brown.

Southwest Turkey Sliders

I'm a firm BELIEVER that great things come in small packages, and these LITTLE sliders definitely confirm that theory. They are simple to make, HEALTHY to eat, and taste fabulous on the way down. If you like the idea of any of those three things, you will LOVE these! And so will your kids—mini things are just more FUN to eat!

Southwest Turkey Sliders
1/3 onion, chopped (red or sweet)
1/3 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 green bell pepper chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey
Salt and pepper
Whole wheat dinner rolls
Avocado, thinly sliced
Lettuce
Burger toppers of choice

In a frying pan, sauté the onion and peppers in a splash or two of olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Put the cooked veggies in a bowl with the ground turkey, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly with your hands. Use mixture to make about 8 mini patties. Cook patties on a grill or a nonstick frying pan until done. Eat on dinners rolls and top with avocado slices, lettuce, and other favorite burger toppings.

TIP: You can also top the burgers with slices of pepper jack cheese for a gooey kick.

Sweetheart Cake

Several years ago I wrote a cookbook, Easy Cut-Up Cakes for Kids—and it's all about CAKE decorating that's so easy, your kiddos can do it themselves. Well, I can't let VALENTINE'S DAY come and go without sharing this CUTE and easy cake that is in the book. It is such a SWEET little cake and is so fun to have as a YUMMY Valentine's treat to share with your family.

                                                                                                        Photo by Zac Williams

Sweetheart Cake
1 strawberry cake mix
Pink frosting
1 large tube white frosting (or homemade)
Pastel candies, such as M&Ms, Skittles, jelly beans, or gum drops

Make cake according to package directions. Bake cake as directed on box for two pans, using one 8-inch round pan and one 8-inch square pan. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, and then invert and cool completely on a wire rack.


Place the square cake diagonally on a platter or foil-wrapped board. Cut the round cake in half and the place the cut sides against the top two sides of the square cake to make a heart.


Frost entire cake pink. Outline top edge with white tube frosting (or homemade in a decorator's bag with a star tip). Decorate the cake with pastel candies of your choice. You can use the candies to create flowers as seen in the photo or whatever you prefer. 

TIP: Switch up the color scheme if you don't want a pink cake! Use cherry chip cake mix, frost the cake white, and use red tube frosting and candies. Or again, whatever you prefer.

Salmon Taco Bowls

So I buy fresh SALMON from Costco, and since everything comes in bulk there, it is a rather large fillet. I typically cut it into 2 or 3 PORTIONS and freeze them, but last time I totally forgot and stuck the whole thing in the freezer! This meant I had to thaw the whole darn thing—all 3 pounds of it. So, we had a lot of FISH that week! This was one of my favorite versions and I will definitely be making these YUMMY taco bowls again soon.

Salmon Taco Bowls
1 pound or so of salmon fillet
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chili powder
Cumin
Cooked rice
Black beans
Bell peppers, red, green, etc., chopped
Red onion, chopped
Frozen super sweet white corn, warmed through
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Cilantro
Avocado
Sour cream
Salsa

Lightly coat salmon with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Also sprinkle with chili powder and cumin. (You can decide how generous you want to be. More chili powder = more heat!) Cook salmon as desired, either in a frying pan or bake it in the oven. Once it is cool enough to handle, flake it into chunks with a fork.

Layer your tacos in a bowl (or on a plate is fine too!) starting with some cooked rice, the salmon, beans, veggies, cheese, lettuce, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream and salsa if desired.

TIP: Layer in whatever you like on your tacos normally. It'll be good, I promise!

Baked Proscuitto Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce

Doesn't pasta always TASTE good? I know if my kiddos haven't been eating much of their recent dinners that I can make a YUMMY pasta dish and they will ask for seconds, sometimes even thirds. Luckily, this is just another EASY weeknight dish that is sure to make everyone HAPPY and full!

Baked Proscuitto Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce

1 bag frozen proscuitto ravioli (or any kind you prefer, mine was from Costco)

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 to 1/2 cup basil pesto

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Fill the baking dish with as many ravioli as needed for your family. (If the ravioli are large, you really only need about 5 per person.) In a bowl, mix together the cream and pesto. Pour over the ravioli in the pan and spread the mozzarella cheese over top. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese as well and then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbling. 

TIP: I think another great addition to this recipe would be some chopped up veggies. You could layer in some onion or squash of some sort, or whatever you think sounds good!

Taking a Break

If you haven't already noticed, I'm taking a break from food blogging for a while. I've been working on a few projects at home and hanging out with the kids as well as fighting a pretty yucky cough the last week or so. Anyway, I thought I better explain my lack of posting, but I promise I will post some new recipes soon! All my other previously posted recipes are still here, so enjoy those while you wait. :)

Merry Christmas!

I hope YOU don't mind, but I decided to take the day off from POSTING. However,  I still wanted to WISH you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope your holiday is filled with as much YUMMY food and LOVE as mine! :)

Grinch Cookies (A Christmas Tradition!)

Every year as a family we make these yummy MINTY cookies from the Six Sisters Stuff blog. Once they are done BAKING, we sit down and enjoy them while we WATCH How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Our kids love it! Hopefully your FAMILY can start the tradition this year.

(Photo from Six Sisters Stuff) 

Grinch Cookies
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon mint extract
15 to 20 drops green food coloring
1 box Andes mints, unwrapped and chopped

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and mint extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and add the green food coloring. Mix until even colored. Last fold in the chopped Andes mints. (They also added some milk chocolate chips!) Put in the refrigerator until the dough is cool.

Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. To make them more rounded when they come out, flatten the balls as you place them onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool.

Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com

Perfect Cherry Pie

My sister-in-law makes a fabulous CHERRY pie for Thanksgiving, but since we aren't always together for the HOLIDAY she shared her recipe with me several years ago. It's so good, I've decided I better SHARE it with all of you! I have to start by saying I've never liked cherry pie. Ever. Until I had one little BITE of my husband's slice years ago. I've been hooked ever since! It's a beautiful pie and is perfect for CHRISTMAS dessert.

Perfect Cherry Pie
Crust
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening
6 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Filling
3 cans tart red cherries, drained with 1 cup juice reserved
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup cornstartch
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
10 drops red food coloring (optional, but it makes it really pretty!)

For the crust, combine the flour, salt, and shortening with a pastry blender until you have pea-size crumbs. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the crust comes together. Divide dough into two portions, one for the bottom of the pie, one for the top. (The bottom needs to cover the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides, so I always do more for the bottom.) Refrigerate until ready to use, or for at least 30 minutes.

Over medium heat, stir the cherries, 3/4 cup sugar, and cornstarch together with a flat-bottom whisk until smooth and clear. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Let cool.

Poor filling into rolled out pie crust dough and top with remaining pie crust dough. Press top and bottom dough together all around the pie and cut an excess off. (You can also crimp the edges to make it pretty!) Cut a few slits in the top for venting and sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar over top. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes and golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream of course!

TIP: We love this crust recipe and usually do 1 1/2 of the recipe for a thicker crust. I totally recommend it, but if you like less crust, this way is totally fine!

Banana Sheet Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

If your kids are like my kids, then you go through BANANA phases at your house. Sometimes I can't stock up with enough because the KIDDOS are eating them like crazy. Other times I have bunches that are brown because nobody has even given them a GLANCE. I can't keep up! I don't usually mind having the EXTRA ripe ones around though because I get to make nummy things like this oh-so-wonderful cake. It is seriously one of THE BEST things you can do with bananas. Period. (Wish I had a better picture to do it the justice it deserves. My new camera is being shipped as we speak though, so hooray!)

Banana Sheet Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 box white cake mix (yellow would work too)
Ingredients called for on box
1/3 cup sour cream
1 small box instant banana cream pudding mix

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temp
1/4 cup salted butter, room temp
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the bananas, cake mix, and ingredients called for on box and mix until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and dry pudding mix. Pour onto a cookie sheet with sides  (roughly 11 x 17 in) that has been prepared with nonstick spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. When thoroughly combined, gently fold in the Cool Whip. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TIP: Drizzling caramel ice cream topping over individual slices would make this extra luxurious. Ooooh, and maybe some sort of chopped nut. You pick.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These soft little cookies are such a TREAT! It's a chocolate chip cookie, but with a touch of orange and HOLIDAY spice. They are perfect for any get TOGETHER you might be hosting or attending this time of year. Of course, they are extremely EASY to make and your house will smell unbelievable!

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour (I used about 2 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (slightly heaping!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the orange zest and chocolate. (Dough will be pretty stiff, especially if you stir it by hand like I do, so feel free to do this all with your stand mixer!).

Use a teaspoon to scoop your dough and roll into balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake for 10 or so minutes and slightly brown around the edges. (I did about 10 1/2 minutes and they were perfect!) Let cool for 2 minutes on the pan and then completely on a wire rack.

TIP: I think using a really dark, indulgent chocolate would be fabulous in these, or if you prefer a milk chocolate that would be lovely too!

Crockpot Chicken Curry

We love all sorts of CROCKPOT meals, and this one is definitely a TASTY one. So over the next few weeks as you are BUSY preparing for the holidays, throw this in the crockpot in the morning and by DINNER your house will smell pretty fab.

Crockpot Chicken Curry
10 to 12 chicken tenders
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/3 cup water
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream

Spray a 3- to 5-quart crockpot with nonstick spray. Place the chicken tenders in the bottom and sprinkle the curry powder over the top. Pour in the water and salsa and then cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours. When ready to serve, stir around to break up the chicken and then stir in the sour cream. Serve warm over rice.

TIP: I love the sweetness coconut adds to curries, so feel free to stir some coconut in towards the end of your total cook time for another variation.

Butterscotch Banana Bread

Have this yummy bread as part of your THANKSGIVING brunch! This is now my new favorite BANANA bread recipe. I'm always making the stuff, but I love trying different VARIATIONS. Of the hundreds of banana BREAD recipes I've tried (OK, maybe dozens?), this seriously tops my list!

Butterscotch Banana Bread
(from sixsistersstuff.com)

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Stir in all the remaining ingredients (except butterscotch chips) until mostly smooth. Stir in the chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 5-inch bread pan and bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

TIP: My husband loves chocolate chips in his banana bread and asked me to do a mixture of the butterscotch and chocolate chip next time. I think it sounds like a good idea, but I'll probably do 1/2 cup of each.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

I was looking for an easy FALL dessert, and this recipe caught my eye. It was not only easy, but luxurious and RICH. Definitely a keeper! Check out the TIP to see how you can make it even more LUXURIOUS.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies 
(recipe from mommysavers.com)

1 box brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
Ingredients called for on box
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8- or 9-inch square pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions, but stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread about 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan; set aside.

In a bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients until smooth. (I like to beat the cream cheese first, and then add the remaining ingredients.) Spread over the top of the brownie batter in pan, then dollop remaining brownie batter over top. Swirl with a butter knife. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator. Cut into squares and serve.

TIP: You could leave the cinnamon out of the brownie mix and it will still be delish. Also, I debated sprinkling those caramel bits you can now buy at the grocery store over top. Will somebody try it and let me know? Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies sounds unreal! :)

Cranberry Rice Pilaf for Thanksgiving

Maybe your family prefers rice for THANKSGIVING. Mine doesn't, but that doesn't mean this wouldn't be a FABULOUS addition to your holiday table if your FAMILY wants it! (Sorry, but we are totally traditional mashed potato people!). Either way, this is simple, FESTIVE, and definitely yum.

Cranberry Rice Pilaf
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1/3 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 cup salted pepitas (small pumpkin seeds often found by "salad" toppers at grocery stores)
1/2 cup Craisins, roughly chopped

In a large pot, sauté the uncooked rice an onion in butter until onion is tender and rice is nicely toasted, maybe 5 or so minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn heat to low and cover with a lid; cook for 15 minutes or until rice is fluffy and liquid is gone. Fluff with a fork and then stir in the pepitas and craisins. Let warm through and then serve.

TIP: Feel free to add more onion, pepitas, and Craisins. I always say the more, the merrier!

10 Yummy Thanksgiving Pies

Every year I want to make about TEN different pies, but usually only end up making two or three. I have a hard TIME deciding which ones I want most, and there always has to be a traditional PUMPKIN in the mix. But we like all SORTS, so here are the links to some of my family's FAVORITE pies for Thanksgiving! (And for the FEW of you who actually look at my blog, make sure to keep checking because in the next few weeks I will post our favorite CHERRY pie, which is phenomenal!)

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

                           

Pretty Apple Pie

                           

Oreo Fudge Pie

                           

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

                           

Coconut Cream Cheese Pie

                           And here are a few more that I would LOVE to try:

French Silk Pie from Gimme Some Oven

Carrot Cake Cheesecake from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

                         

Rocky Road No-Bake Cheesecake from Kraft

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie from Key Ingredient

Sour Cream Lime Tart from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Savory Baked Pumpkin Seeds

We love SALTY snacks, and these savory seeds are so EASY to make we just can't pass them up. After our Halloween PUMPKINS are cleaned out, we clean the seeds from inside them and BAKE. It's super yummy!

Savory Baked Pumpkin Seeds

About 2 cups cleaned fresh pumpkin seeds

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Season salt

Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir the pumpkin seeds with the oil and sprinkle with the season salt and garlic salt. Spread on a lined or lightly greased baking sheet and sprinkle more seasoning over top. Bake for 20 minutes, stir seeds and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until toasty and brown. 

TIP: Explore with different seasonings, I'm sure they will all taste good! I've even seen cinnamon-sugar seeds, though I'd replace the olive oil with some butter. :) 

Pesto Ditalini with Chicken and Portobello Mushrooms

If you are looking for a QUICK and easy dinner to prepare so you can take your little MONSTERS trick or treating this Halloween, this is it. They will LOVE it and so will you! It's full of flavor and PERFECT for little mouths. :)

Pesto Ditalini with Chicken and Portobello Mushrooms
2 1/2 to 3 cups ditalini pasta
2 uncooked chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/3 sweet onion, finely chopped
4 ounces whole portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup pesto (or more if you prefer)
1/3 to 1/2 cup cream
Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, cook the chicken chunks in a little olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. When cooked through; set aside. Add the onion and mushrooms to the pan, with a touch more olive oil if necessary. Saute about 5 minutes or until everything is nice and tender.

Chop the cooked chicken into small pieces, about the size of the pasta. Add the cooked chicken and pasta to the pan with onion and mushrooms. Stir in the pesto and cream and warm through. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese to garnish.

TIP: Feel free to adjust measurements in this recipe—it is very forgiving! I think I would like even more onions and mushrooms, so next time I'm definitely adding more.