tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020958972860365732024-03-13T14:03:53.466-07:00The Royal CookSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-77165980551257088042015-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:002015-07-27T05:00:03.698-07:00Firefighter Birthday PartyMy baby is 5!! He is obsessed with fire trucks right now, so we did a firefighter themed party. His favorite color is blue and fire trucks are red, so we went with red and blue for his colors. <br />
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We started his party with a trip to the fire station where the kids were given a tour and got to see all the cool things that are in the fire trucks!</div>
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After our trip to the fire station, the kids went though Tea Fire Academy Basic Training to become an official junior firefighter! They jumped through fire, rescued a kitty from a tree, and then put out a fire. No children or animals were harmed. :) After completing Tea Fire Academy Basic Training, the little firefighters were awarded a certificate of achievement.</div>
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And then they ate goodies!</div>
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After the party, the kids left with bags of gumballs as a little thank you.</div>
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All the printables came from <a href="http://www.justalittlesparkle.com/" target="_blank">Just a little Sparkle</a>.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-74856070993227272792015-06-26T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-26T05:00:05.170-07:00No Yeast Cinnamon RollsThese No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls remind me of the refrigerated Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. If you love Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, you're going to love these! And they can be on the table in an hour or less! <br />
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2 1/2 cups flour<br />1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/3 cup sour cream<br />3/4 cup buttermilk<br />1/4 cup oil<br /><br /><div>
1/2 cup butter, softened<br />1/3 cup brown sugar<br />1/3 cup sugar<br />2 teaspoons cinnamon<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, sour cream, buttermilk, and oil. Mix until it's well combined and forms a soft dough. Sprinkle your counter with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 1/4-inch thick. Combine brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon and mix. Spread softened butter on the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll the dough and slice into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Frost with your favorite frosting while still hot. I used my favorite <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2014/03/baptism-dress-cupcake-cake-and-my.html" target="_blank">Coconut Buttercream</a>. My <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2011/09/cream-cheese-buttercream-frosting.html" target="_blank">Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting </a>would also be amazing on them! Serve warm.</div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://backforseconds.com/easy-no-yeast-cinnamon-rolls/" target="_blank">Back for Seconds</a>.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-67040722361722782922015-06-24T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-24T05:00:01.381-07:00Vanilla Butter SyrupI'm a HUGE breakfast fan. Especially when it comes to things like pancakes and french toast smothered in syrup! We love my <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/08/maple-syrup.html" target="_blank">Maple Syrup</a>, but this Vanilla Butter Syrup seems to be the favorite around here.<br />
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This time we ate our Vanilla Butter Syrup on my <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/02/cinnamon-vanilla-french-toast.html" target="_blank">Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast</a>. Yummers!<br />
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1 cup butter<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
1 cup canned milk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
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Combine butter, sugar, and canned milk in a medium sized pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil and remove from the heat. Mix in vanilla, and then baking soda; mix well. The mixture will bubble up a lot!<br />
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Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-56288139426585315622015-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-22T05:00:02.012-07:00Banana CakeI never seem to have shortage of overripe bananas. I don't mind, really, because we LOVE <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2010/10/banana-bread.html" target="_blank">Banana Bread</a>! But after a half dozen batches in a month (I guess I kinda overbought bananas!) I wanted something a little different. <br />
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1 1/3 cups sugar</div>
1 cup sour cream<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/4 cup butter, softened<br />
1 1/2 cups overripe bananas, mashed<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
2 cups flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
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Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, eggs, and butter. Mix in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda; mix well. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.</div>
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I frosted with my favorite frosting, <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2014/03/baptism-dress-cupcake-cake-and-my.html" target="_blank">Coconut Buttercream Frosting</a>.</div>
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Cake recipe from <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/09/die-banana-cake-vanilla-bean-frosting/" target="_blank">Cooking Classy</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-20347712525206731632015-06-19T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-19T05:00:02.102-07:00Kool-Aid PopcornMy little pixie is turning 7 and I made this super tasty Kool-Aid Popcorn for her birthday party! If you love Kool-Aid and popcorn, this recipe is for you! <br />
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My little pixie's colors were turquoise, lavender (heaven help me if I slipped and said blue and purple!), and pink. Just pink. I used grape Kool-Aid for the purple, and fruit punch for the pink (red?). I really hoped it would turn out more pink, but even if the color didn't do what I wanted it to, it still tasted great!<br />
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12 cups popped popcorn<br />1/3 cup butter<br />1/2 cup light corn syrup<br />1 cup sugar<br />1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br /><br />Combine butter, corn syrup, and sugar in a medium pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Increase heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the Kool-Aid and baking soda; mix well. Pour the hot mixture over the popcorn and stir until it’s well coated. Pour the popcorn out onto a large, rimmed, baking sheet that's been greased, and spread evenly. Cook for 40 minutes at 250, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely and break into pieces.<div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://ourbestbites.com/2014/01/popcorn/" target="_blank">Our Best Bites</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-49035263536451450272015-06-16T05:00:00.000-07:002015-06-16T05:00:01.218-07:00PJ PartyMy sweet little pixy is turning 7 and wanted to party in her jammies! She chose lavender and turquoise for her colors (if I accidentally said purple and blue, I was in BIG trouble!) and we added in pink as well. <br />
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Because she didn't want a lot of friends, I did a small dessert table with....</div>
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Chocolate Covered Marshmallows (Seriously, SO good and addicting. And did I mention they're EASY!?!?),</div>
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Crispy Rice Treats (another SO good, addicting and easy treat! Recipe link at the bottom.),</div>
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Chocolate Covered Oreos (Guess what?!? Even another SO good, addicting and easy treat!),</div>
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and some of the most amazing cupcake EVER with my favorite frosting! (Recipe links at the bottom.)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jg6sI7CmUts/VX9VNqZyciI/AAAAAAAADDE/KCt1kniyPPo/s1600/DSC09799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jg6sI7CmUts/VX9VNqZyciI/AAAAAAAADDE/KCt1kniyPPo/s320/DSC09799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And we can't for get the chocolate! Mini Hershey bars in darling little wrappers!</div>
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The girls munched on pizza and this super tasty Kool-Aid Popcorn (Recipe coming soon!).</div>
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For the activities, the littles made Froot Loop necklaces</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyEw-vkTMoE/VX9WPfl5d5I/AAAAAAAADD8/0-zrvVxv70c/s1600/DSC09884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyEw-vkTMoE/VX9WPfl5d5I/AAAAAAAADD8/0-zrvVxv70c/s320/DSC09884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and decorated their own pillowcases to take home.</div>
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They also took home little bags of chocolate bars.</div>
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All of the darling printables are from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/justalittlesparkle" target="_blank">Just a Little Sparkle</a>. She does pretty amazing work!</div>
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Recipes (as promised :D)</div>
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<a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2012/11/crazy-good-crispy-rice-treats.html" target="_blank">Crazy Good Crispy Rice Treats</a></div>
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<a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/02/white-almond-wedding-cake.html" target="_blank">White Almond Wedding Cake</a> (I made the batter into cupcakes and baked for 10 minutes less than the cake time.)</div>
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<a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2014/03/baptism-dress-cupcake-cake-and-my.html" target="_blank">Coconut Buttercream Frosting</a></div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-11778547130128141792015-06-05T05:14:00.000-07:002015-06-16T15:42:54.189-07:00Yellow Summer Daisy PartySchool is finally out! My cute little 9 year old decided we needed to PARTY!! to celebrate. <br />
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We decided to go with yellow and white for the colors and a mild daisy theme.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uzyeETp93eg/VXDoU3VOOzI/AAAAAAAADAk/yTIpt7E7i7g/s1600/Daisy%2BOreos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uzyeETp93eg/VXDoU3VOOzI/AAAAAAAADAk/yTIpt7E7i7g/s320/Daisy%2BOreos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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White chocolate covered Oreos. SO good!</div>
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White chocolate daisy suckers. Love, love, love how the little pots turned out!</div>
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The lunch boxes were so cute! They had Uncrustables, apples with caramel dip, Pringles, and lemonade.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqE5Agm_RQ8/VXDohWnshjI/AAAAAAAADBM/hW8fdLJQ_Z0/s1600/Pot%252C%2Bseeds%252C%2Band%2Bsoil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqE5Agm_RQ8/VXDohWnshjI/AAAAAAAADBM/hW8fdLJQ_Z0/s320/Pot%252C%2Bseeds%252C%2Band%2Bsoil.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Little flower pots for the girls to paint, along with soil and seed for them to plant at home.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6ZlRMyWNbk/VXDoi2vGOjI/AAAAAAAADBY/0y9W3X0pojg/s1600/Paints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6ZlRMyWNbk/VXDoi2vGOjI/AAAAAAAADBY/0y9W3X0pojg/s320/Paints.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My cute little artist!</div>
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<a href="http://catchmyparty.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Catch My Party" src="http://photos.catchmyparty-cdn.com/misc/featured/cmp-featured-teal-120.png" title="Catch My Party" /></a></div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-75909534809600660422015-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:002015-03-20T05:00:00.871-07:00Italian Ground Beef SoupI'm loving this Italian Ground Beef Soup! It's a fairly simple and basic soup, but the way it all comes together with the spices is wonderful. It reheats well and the leftovers get fought over. And who fights over leftovers?!?<div>
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<br />1 1/2 pounds ground beef<br />1 large onion, diced<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />1 teaspoon salt<div>
1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced<br />1 1/2 cups celery, sliced<br />1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes<br />3 cups beef broth<br />1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste<br />1 teaspoon basil<br />1 teaspoon oregano<br />1 teaspoon thyme </div>
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1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes<br />1 1/2 tablespoons parsley</div>
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Combine ground beef, onion and garlic in a large pot and cook over medium heat until the ground beef is cooked through (If you like to cook your meat with oil, feel free to add a couple tablespoons of oil. I never use oil when I cook ground beef). Once the ground beef is cooked, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.</div>
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.artandthekitchen.com/2013/10/italian-turkey-burger-soup.html/" target="_blank">Art and the Kitchen</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-83871785395403333602015-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:002015-03-16T05:00:11.794-07:00Amish White BreadI've said it before, but I'll say it again. I'm fascinated with the Amish way of life! I am 95% sure I could live the lifestyle without any problem. I love the simplicity of their lifestyle and if a recipe has the word "Amish" in it, I'm more likely than not to try it out. I guess that makes me a bit of a sucker. :)<div>
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I honestly haven't a clue if this is an authentic Amish recipe, but regardless, it's fantastic! I've made 2 batches in the last 2 weeks and they haven't lasted long. I made my girls sandwiches for their school lunches with this Amish White Bread and when I asked them how their sandwiches were, they had no clue the bread was homemade. They both told me it tasted just like the kind of bread I buy. Personally, I think this bread is better than store bought bread. At least now I know it is a great sandwich bread!</div>
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1 cup warm water </div>
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1 cup warm milk</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt</div>
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1/3 cup sugar</div>
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1/4 cup vegetable oil</div>
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1 1/2 tablespoons yeast</div>
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5 1/2 to 6 cups flour</div>
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In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (with a dough hook), pour warm milk and water (I heat them together in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after each 30 seconds. I like it to be warm enough that I can stick my finger in it without it being uncomfortable.) Sprinkle with yeast and sugar, then mix just enough to make sure all the yeast is wet, instead of sitting on the top of the liquid. Let the yeast sit to proof (get foamy); about 5 minutes. Add in salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix well. Slowly add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and not very sticky. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is elasticy (when you poke it with your finger the indentation doesn't remain). Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled; about 1 hour. Dump the dough out onto the counter (I spray my counter with non-stick cooking spray) and divide into 2 equal parts. Shape each part into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let rise again until the dough is about 1-inch above the top of the pans; 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the loaves are nicely browned and the loaves sound hollow when you tap them. Remove the loaves from the pans and place on a cooling rack. If desired, brush the top of the loaves with melted butter.</div>
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://bakerette.com/amish-white-bread/" target="_blank">Bakerette</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-88034727356876096172015-03-11T05:01:00.000-07:002015-03-11T05:01:00.142-07:00Hot Reuben DipMy husband's favorite sandwich is a Reuben. I have to admit, although I originally turned my nose up at them, they are pretty tasty. For the Superbowl (I know, it was for-ev-er ago!) I decided to make him his favorite sandwich. In a dip. <br />
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This hot Reuben Dip tastes just like the sandwich. The leftovers were even the filling for a grilled sandwich. YUM!<br />
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If you love Reuben sandwiches, you'll love this dip!<br />
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1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (pretty sure most good dips start out this way)<br />
1/3 cup thousand island salad dressing<br />
1/2 pound pastrami, deli sliced and then chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces<br />
1 cup sauerkraut<br />
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded<br />
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Combine cream cheese and thousand island dressing and mix until smooth. Add pastrami, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese and mix until combined. Pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until hot.<br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.willcookforsmiles.com/2012/04/reuben-dip.html#_a5y_p=3110283" target="_blank">Will Cook for Smiles</a>.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-56775231091371047102015-03-09T05:00:00.000-07:002015-03-09T05:00:06.437-07:00Jalapeno Popper DipI love Jalapeno Poppers, so when I figured out they could be made into a dip, I was excited! The kids weren't excited though. When I told them I was making a dip they thought I was talking about a bean dip. Like my <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/02/hot-cheesy-bean-dip.html" target="_blank">Hot Cheesy Bean Dip</a> or my <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2012/03/layered-bean-dip.html" target="_blank">Layered Bean Dip</a>. When they found out I was making Jalapeno Popper Dip instead, they were a little disappointed, to say the least. And then they tried it. No more unhappy kids!! This stuff is good!<br />
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1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded<br />
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapenos<br />
1/4 cup butter, melted<br />
1 cup bread crumbs (I used panko bread crumbs because that's what I had on hand)<br />
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley<br />
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Combine the melted butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and parsley in a small bowl. Mix until combined and set aside. Combine the cream cheese and sour cream and mix until smooth. Add cheddar cheese and jalapenos and mix until combined. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until hot.<br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.spendwithpennies.com/jalapeo-popper-dip/" target="_blank">Spend with Pennies</a>.<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-68434297098106289242015-02-24T05:00:00.000-08:002015-02-24T05:00:10.393-08:00Red Velvet CakeOne of my little princesses just turned 9 on Saturday. I can't believe how fast time flies! She requested a Red Velvet Cake for her birthday. Say what?!?! Am I the only person in the world who has never made a red velvet cake? I don't think I've even eaten Red Velvet Cake more than 2 times. Ever! So when she let me know she wanted a Red Velvet Cake, I almost panicked and bought a mix at the store. I didn't panic and this cake was awesome! It was moist, just a little chocolaty, and everyone loved it!<br />
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1 cup butter<br />
2 cups sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 cup cocoa powder<br />
2 1/2 cups flour<br />
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Preheat oven to 350. Add lemon juice to milk and set aside. Combine butter and sugar and mix well. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, sour cream, milk, and food coloring and mix until combined. Add salt, baking soda, cocoa powder and flour and mix until combined. Pour into 3 (8-inch) round cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. <br />
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I frosted it with my favorite frosting, <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2014/03/baptism-dress-cupcake-cake-and-my.html" target="_blank">Coconut Buttercream Frosting</a>, but it would also be amazing with my <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2011/09/cream-cheese-buttercream-frosting.html" target="_blank">Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting</a>.<br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/11/red-velvet-cake-with-cream-cheese-buttercream-frosting-recipe.html" target="_blank">Six Sisters' Stuff</a>.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-23811412150748032672014-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:002014-12-24T05:00:04.329-08:00Coconut and Pecan PralinesI'm all about easy. But only if delicious is also in the description. These little Coconut and Pecan Pralines are both. No baking or thermometer needed!<br />
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Since I knew it would be dangerous to keep these little bits of sugary goodness in the house too long, I decided to share them. They received rave reviews! Not 5 minutes after I dropped some of to a friend, I got this lovely text.<br />
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"Holy Hannah!<br />
De-freaking-licious treats.<br />
Worth every calorie in them. Thanks lady!!"<br />
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They really are that good!<br />
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2 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1/2 cup evaporated milk<br />
1/2 cup corn syrup<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans<br />
2 cups shredded coconut<br />
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In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, pecans and coconut. Stir for 4 minutes (the mixture with thicken a bit). Drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper. Let sit to harden - about 1 hour.<br />
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Recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-66404594374484468632014-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:002014-12-22T05:00:01.023-08:00No Fail 7 Minute Microwave CaramelsWhen I say "No Fail," I seriously mean it! This is the third batch of caramels I made in about 3 days. The first 2 were on the stove top and were complete and total FAILS! I couldn't get either of them to get up to temperature, and then they were both hard as a rock. After the second batch I decided that it was my thermometer that was the issue, not so much the cook. Thank goodness! <br />
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I didn't feel quite brave enough to try another stove top batch of caramels and so I decided to give these a try. They were amazing! Quick, easy and they worked!!<br />
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We ate about half of them plain and I dipped the other half in milk chocolate and sprinkled them with a little sea salt. Oh. My. Heavenly! If you are a chocolate dipper, try it! You can thank me later. Or not, when you can't stop eating them. Thank goodness there are so many mouths around here to help devour the holiday temptations!<br />
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1/2 cup butter<br />
1/2 cup corn syrup<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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Place the butter in a large microwave safe bowl and cook until melted. Add corn syrup, white and brown sugars and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well until everything is smooth. Return to the microwave and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir in vanilla. Pour into a buttered 8x8-inch baking dish and let cool completely.<br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/04/microwave-caramels/" target="_blank">Cooking Classy</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-42646576953956425172014-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:002014-11-10T05:00:06.973-08:00Banana Crumb Muffins<div>
I don't know about you, but my family is pretty picky when it comes to eating fresh bananas. They have to be just barely under ripe for us to eat them. Because they seem to ripen so darn fast, that gives us about a day when they're the prefect ripeness for us to eat. That means that we end up with more overripe bananas than I'd like. Sometimes they ripen past the point we like them before we even realize they're ripe! Solution? These Banana Crumb Muffins. </div>
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1 1/2 cups flour<br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />3 bananas, mashed<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1 egg<br />1/3 cup butter, melted<br /><br /><div>
Crumb Topping:</div>
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1/3 cup brown sugar<br />2 tablespoons flour<br />1/8 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1 tablespoon butter, softened</div>
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In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl combine mashed bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter; mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Grease or line a 12-count muffin tin and divide batter between the cups. To make the crumb topping, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until it looks about like corn meal. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the muffins and bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.</div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-crumb-muffins/" target="_blank">Allrecipes</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-13284327209424405822014-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:002014-11-07T05:00:09.531-08:00Savory Pumpkin SoupI-used-my-kids-pumpkins-for-this-soup! Whew! I sure feel better now that I got that out of the way! Just, please, don't tell them. They'd hate me forever. Or at least as long as a 4 and 6 year old can hold a grudge. I wasn't going to. Honest! I had every intention of buying (another) pumpkin to use, but for some reason, once Halloween has come and gone, they all disappear. Only 2 days after there wasn't a single pumpkin to be found. Lots of Christmas trees and ornaments, but not a single, solitary pumpkin. I guess feeding the littles their beloved pumpkins is better than sneaking them into the trash, right?<div>
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<br />6 cups chicken stock<br />1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />4 cups pumpkin puree<br />1/2 teaspoon parsley<br />1 cup onion, chopped<br />1/4 teaspoon thyme<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1/2 cup heavy whipping cream<br />1/2 teaspoon black pepper<div>
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For Serving:</div>
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Parmesan cheese</div>
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Homemade <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/06/sourdough-croutons.html" target="_blank">Croutons</a> (I didn't use the sourdough bread this time, just what I had on hand. They're still stinkin' amazing!)</div>
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Combine all ingredients, except cream, in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. *Puree soup on small batches (about 1 cup at a time) in a blender. Return soup to pot and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Mix in cream and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese and croutons. Don't skip the croutons. Seriously. They take the soup from good to WOW!<br /><div>
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*I blended the onion and garlic with a little of the chicken stock BEFORE I cooked the soup, and just let it simmer for an hour. You could also use an immersion blender half way through the cooking time. If you cook the soup and then blend it. BE CAREFUL!! The hot soup burns!</div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-soup/" target="_blank">All Recipes</a>.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-44916205727582564212014-10-23T05:00:00.000-07:002014-10-23T05:00:00.028-07:00Walking TacosHave you missed me? Well, I've missed you! My little sis informed me that I've been sorely neglecting you all. Since I last posted, we moved, the kids all started school (and I somehow ended up as a room mom for the 3rd grader!), went through almost an entire season of soccer and lacrosse (2 more weeks, just 2 more weeks!), joined the gym (like 2 days ago. Yikes! I am SO sore! Wish me luck!), and I couldn't find my baby. For almost an entire half hour. Talk about near heart failure!! Luckily he just went to a little friends house and was playing on their way-super-awesome play set in the back yard. I went from I'm-so-mad-I'll-strangle-the-little-monkey-when-I-find-him to, when I finally found him, oh-my-precious-perfect-little-angel-I-just-want-to-kiss-your-sweet-little-face-until-you-scream!<br />
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I have to say, I've forgotten how much of an ordeal moving is! We were in our last place for 8 years. Seems like a lifetime sometimes. I guess it is for some people. We moved in with a 6 month old baby and had 2 more little ones while we were there. That's a lifetime for the 3 of them. All though moving is the pits, it sure was nice to have some of the kids old enough to really help. I think the actual moving part was the easy part. Changing the address on all the mail and transferring the kid's schools was probably more stressful. Not to mention the melt downs over leaving friends and the best. Schools. Ever. Luckily, we're in a pretty awesome neighborhood with lots of little kiddies.<br />
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Do you have kids? If you do, you're going to want to bookmark, pin, print out and save, whatever, this recipe! These Walking Tacos are totally kid approved! The kids thought (for at least 7 seconds!) that I was/am the coolest mom ever! The 15 year old asked where I got the idea. I told him Pinterest (Coolest. Site. Ever!). He informed me that he would never EVER complain about Pinterest again! Now THAT is HUGE!<br />
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1 pound ground beef<br />
1 packet taco seasoning<br />
8-10 individual serving sized bags nacho cheese Doritos<br />
Your favorite taco toppings like...<br />
Lettuce, shredded<br />
Cheese, grated<br />
Tomatoes, diced<br />
Sour cream<br />
Olives, sliced<br />
Salsa<br />
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Brown the ground beef and add taco seasoning (along with the water called for on the package). To assemble, slightly crush chips, then squeeze the bottom of the bag to make it POP! Pretty sure that was my favorite part. The 15 year old was in the other room and asked what the popping noise was. I completely lied to him and told him I didn't hear a thing. Not sure if he believed me, but he didn't come to investigate. If you are a little more civilized than we are here, feel free to either cut the top off the bags or pull them open. Just open the little bags. Add meat and desired toppings. Mix it all up and grub up!<br />
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Recipe from....Well, I saw pictures on Pinterest and did my own thing.Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-27080397242634455822014-07-17T05:00:00.000-07:002014-07-17T05:00:05.436-07:00Construction PartyMy baby just turned 4!! He loves anything and everything with wheels, as well as going to work with Daddy (he's a general contractor/developer), so a construction party was the perfect theme for him. This was his first "friend" birthday party and was too excited to sleep the night before! Luckily he slept in the morning of his party so I didn't a little grump on my hands. :)<br />
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My little guy and his buddies had lunch of Uncrustables, juice boxes, goldfish crackers and squeeze applesauce, and then colored construction truck pictures, built with blocks and played with playdough. <br />
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Lunch boxes</div>
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Chocolate coins - Payment for a job well done. :)</div>
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My little man loved everything and kept telling my how handsome his party was as I was setting it up. :) <br />
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All of the super cute printables are from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/justalittlesparkle" target="_blank">Just a little Sparkle</a>.
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1 pound salad macaroni<br />4 hard cooked eggs, diced<br />1 small onion, diced<br />3 celery ribs, diced<br />1 small red pepper, diced<br /><br /><div>
Dressing:<div>
2 cups light mayonnaise (do not use Miracle Whip)<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />1/8 cup yellow mustard<br />2 tablespoons dill pickle relish<br />1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar<br />3/4 teaspoon celery seed<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />paprika for garnish<br /><br />Cook the macaroni according to package directions, drain well and place in a large bowl to cool. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Add eggs, pepper, onion and celery to the macaroni. Stir in dressing and refrigerate for at least one hour.</div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/sweet-amish-macaroni-salad-done-my-way-214199" target="_blank">Food</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-17545378457574929362014-06-16T05:00:00.000-07:002014-06-16T05:00:06.706-07:00Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter Tomato SauceWith summer just around the corner, this Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter Tomato Sauce is a perfect way to use up your fresh cherry tomatoes and basil. It's no secret that I <strike>like</strike> love fresh basil. I'm sold on pretty much anything that I can throw a little basil into. If fresh basil wasn't enough, the sauce was. The sauce is simple, just 5 ingredients! And it's delicious. Anyone up for dinner in under 30 minutes? <br />
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<br />2 (9 ounce) packages cheese ravioli<br />1/3 cup butter<br />2 cups cherry or pear tomatoes<br />1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped<br />salt and pepper, to taste<div>
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br /><br />Cook the ravioli according to package directions. While the ravioli is cooking, melt the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the tomatoes; cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and burst and the butter turns brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the basil. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over ravioli and sprinkle with Parmesan.<br /></div>
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Recipe from <a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/cheese-ravioli-with-five-ingredient-homemade-brown-butter-tomato-sauce.html" target="_blank">Kevin & Amanda</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-9792384154318311002014-06-12T08:41:00.000-07:002014-06-12T12:40:28.419-07:00Unicorn Rainbow Birthday PartyFor my little girls 6th birthday, she wanted a unicorn party. Since her favorite color is "rainbow", it ended up being a Unicorn Rainbow Party. She also loves anything sparkly, so I threw in a little sparkle and bling.<br />
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At the end of every rainbow, is a pot of (chocolate) gold.</div>
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Gumball cake made with <a href="http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2012/03/smooth-as-silk-frosting.html" target="_blank">Smooth as Silk Frosting</a></div>
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Adorable Unicorn and Rainbow sugar cookies from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/treats4tatas" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Treats 4 Ta-tas</a>.</div>
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Chocolate covered Oreos</div>
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Chocolate covered marshmallows with bling sticks</div>
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The girls made candy necklaces and decorated Unicorn horns.</div>
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The girls took home bags of gold (from the end of the rainbow) and colored candies. The cute printables are from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/justalittlesparkle" target="_blank">Just a little Sparkle</a>.</div>
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-46966814055149066402014-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-16T05:00:02.025-07:00Brown Sugar Chicken Wings with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper DipIt's spring break around here and I shipped all 3 of my girls to Granny and Papa's house. Disneyland may claim to be the "Happiest Place On Earth", but for my kids, Granny and Papa's house beats out Disneyland for the title hands down. It's amazing how much less laundry I have with them gone. It's also amazing how peaceful it is around here. I only here "MOM!!" about once every 30 seconds instead of every. Single. Second. I better enjoy it while it lasts, they'll be home before I know it. <br />
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These Brown Sugar Chicken Wings are pretty tasty little buggers. And the sauce, well, you had me at Roasted Red Pepper! YUM!<br />
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2 pounds chicken wings<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 teaspoons brown sugar<br />
2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
2 teaspoon chili powder<br />
2 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
1 teaspoon onion powder<br />
Salt and pepper, to taste<br />
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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Dip:<br />
1/3 cup roasted red pepper<br />
2 ounces cream cheese<br />
2 tablespoons sour cream<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
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Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste; mix well. Add in the wings and stir until well coated. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (until cooked through), turning the wings over half way through the cooking time. While the wings are cooking, combine roasted red pepper, cream cheese, sour cream and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth(ish).<br />
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2012/05/29/baked-brown-sugar-chicken-wings-with-roasted-red-pepper/" target="_blank">Damn Delicious</a>.<br />
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Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-47590692598632405422014-04-14T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-14T05:00:01.430-07:00Smashed PotatoesWe love potatoes around here. The kids will never complain about eating potatoes. In any form. These Smashed Potatoes are one of kids' favorite ways, if not the favorite way, to have their potatoes. <br />
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2 pounds red potatoes<br />
1/4 cup butter, melted<br />
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated<br />
Salt<br />
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Place potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil until tender. Remove potatoes from pan and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Smash potatoes (I use my potato masher) between 1/2 and 1 inch thick. Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. <br />
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Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!<br />
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<br />Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-31272594822498756412014-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-11T05:00:01.837-07:00Creamy Cucumber Dill SaladThis Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad is my husbands all time favorite salad to eat in the summer. Being the best. Wife. Ever. That I am, I decided to make if for him a little earlier in the year than I usually do. He sure was pleased when he walked in to Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad on the table at dinner. Now if I could only I could get him to tell me I'm as wonderful as I tell him I am. :)<br />
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1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thin<br />
1 small sweet onion, sliced thin<br />
1/2 cup sour cream<br />
1 tablespoon vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon dill<br />
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Place onion and cucumber slices in a medium sized bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and mix until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.<br />
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Recipe from Mom, Mommy, Mama, Granny. Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-302095897286036573.post-14848395170364746462014-04-09T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-10T16:12:55.060-07:00Quinoa Berry Breakfast BowlsI seem to go through phases with my breakfast. I find something that I really like and eat it every day, or nearly every day for weeks. Quinoa Berry Breakfast Bowls is the latest of my breakfast loves. <br />
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¾ cup steel cut oats<br />
pinch of salt<br />
¼ cup quinoa<br />
3 cups water<br />
¾ cup milk<br />
½ teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
2 tablespoons maple syrup<br />
Nuts and berries for topping<br />
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In a large saucepan, combine steel-cut oats, salt and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes without stirring. Rinse quinoa well in a fine-mesh sieve. Drain and add quinoa to the oats, stir, then partially cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add ½ cup milk and vanilla. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into serving bowls and top with remaining milk, maple syrup, nuts and berries.<br />
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Recipe from <a href="http://www.momadvice.com/post/quinoa-berry-breakfast-bowls">Mom Advice</a>.<br />
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Linked on <a href="http://thebestblogrecipes.com/2014/04/weekend-re-treat-link-party-62.html" target="_blank">The Weekend re-Treat</a>.</div>
Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08106368323676492808noreply@blogger.com1