Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies for Santa

We made these cookies for Santa.  I think he'll like them. : )

~ 1 cup butter, melted

~ 1 cup sugar

~ 3/4 cup brown sugar

~ 1 large egg

~ 1 large egg yolk

~ 2 tsp. vanilla

~ 2 1/2 cups flour

~ 1 tsp. baking soda

~ 1/2 tsp. salt

~ 3/4 c. rainbow chocolate chips

~ handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat melted butter and sugars until well combined.  Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.  Place dry ingredients in large bowl, stir to combine.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beat.  Add chips at then end and stir in.  Spoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges just start to brown.  Let cool for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Serve on a plate for Santa!

~ Adapted from Picky Palate

Salt Dough Ornaments - not to eat!

So this recipe is NOT FOR EATING! But it's so easy and so fun, I had to post it. It is FREEZING in our neck of the woods so this is a great indoor project for the whole family.

What you need:

~ 1/2 cup salt
~ 2 cup flour
~ 1/2 cup water
~ Cookie cutters (christmas tree, star, snowflake, wreath etc.)
~ Acrylic paints
~ Glitter if you wish
~ ribbon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250F.
Mix salt, flour and water until dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. Don't add too much flour!

Roll out dough with a rolling pin. Use cookie cutters to cut out forms. Use a toothpick at the top of your ormament to make a circular hole. It needs to be big enough for a ribbon.

Place ornaments on a cookie sheet and bake for 2 hours.
Remove and let cool completely.

Once cool, paint your ornaments, add glitter if you like.
When dry, thread ribbon through the hole and tie a knot.

Tie onto gifts, or hang on them on your own tree! Beaaaautiful.

The girls and I baked ours today and tomorrow we paint!
Enjoy!

~ Recipe and photo courtesy of Kaboose.com

Gourmet Gingersnaps

This is a recipe my cousin gave me when I got married 10 years ago. These cookies are so delicious. And my kids have fun rolling them in sugar! I always make them for a girlfriend of mine, they are her favourites! We are having them with afternoon tea today (or juice in the kids case) when my kids get home from preschool.

Enjoy!

~ 3/4 cup butter

~ 1 cup brown sugar

~ 1/4 cup molasses

~ 1 egg

~ 2 cups flour

~ 2 tsp. baking soda

~ 1 tsp. cinnamon

~ 1/2 tsp. each ginger and cloves

~ granulated sugar

Mix butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg just until combined. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, spices). Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in an electric mixer. Do not overmix.

Form into small balls. Roll in granulated sugar.


Bake on a greased sheet at 350F for 7 - 10 minutes (mine took 10).



Note: cookies spread out so don't push down (keep in balls). Bottoms burn easily so watch carefully.


TIP: When cool, keep cookies in an airtight container because they will moisten and remain chewy!



~ From the kitchen of my cousin, Jennifer G.

Mango Cheesecake - Someday I will make this...

Doesn't this look amazing? I was watching Giada today, love her. She made this and it looked so easy. (Sure) I haven't tried it but I can't wait to! My mouth is watering...

~ 8 ounces biscotti
~ 3/4 cup butter, melted
~ 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
~ 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature
~ 2 cups mango puree (she used frozen (thawed) mango pieces and just pureed)
~ 4 large eggs
~ 3/4 cup sugar

Basil Lemon Syrup:
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1/4 cup water
~ 1/4 cup lemon juice
~ 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

For the Mango Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the cream cheese and ricotta in a food processor. Add the mango puree, eggs, and sugar and pulse until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mango mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and cool completely, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

For the Basil Lemon Syrup: Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup completely. In a food processor combine the basil and the cooled syrup. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve (she didn't do this part - she just poured it over the cheesecake, as is).

Slice the cheesecake and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with the syrup and serve.

~ Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Crab and Red Pepper Spread

I made and will make this crab dip for a couple of parties this season. It tastes delicious on crackers!

~ 2 green onions

~ 250g cream cheese

~ 1 can crabmeat, drained

~ 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (or marble or whatever you like)

~ 1/2 c. finely chopped red peppers

~ 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the onions. Mix remaining ingredients and cover. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Sprinkle with reserved onions and serve with crackers.

~ Kraft Canada

Lemon Shortbread Slices

These would make a lovely gift with some specialty teas!

~ 1 cup butter, softened
~ 3/4 c. granulated sugar
~ 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
~ 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
~ 1 large Egg white, fork beaten
~ 1/3 c. yellow sanding (decorating) sugar

Cream butter and granulated sugar in large bowl. Add lemon zest. Beat well.

Add flour in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains. Roll dough into 3 inch (7.5 cm) diameter log.

Brush log evenly with egg white. Sprinkle sanding sugar evenly on sheet of waxed paper slightly longer than log. Roll log in sanding sugar until coated. Wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Discard plastic wrap. Cut log into 1/4 inch (6 mm) slices. Cut each slice in half. Arrange halves about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Score each half with knife to make 4 wedges. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Makes 6 1/2 dozen (78) cookies.

~ Courtesy of Company's Coming

Mushroom Hor d'oeurves

Tis the season for entertaining, cocktail parties and cozy evenings with loved ones. I love this time of year. This is a recipe that my mom used to make when I was younger. She always made yummy appies on Christmas eve and we would eat and play games. Such special memories! This is one of my faves and it's easy yet looks so sophisticated. : )

Here's the how-to:

~ 1 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped fine
~ 1/2 c. green onion
~ 1/4 c. butter
~ 2 Tbsp. flour
~ 1 cup sour cream
~ 1/4 c. milk
~ 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika and tabasco

Saute the mushrooms and onion in the butter in a pan. Sprinkle flour on mushrooms and blend in. Brown lightly.

Stir in 1/2 c. of sour cream and the milk. Cook/stir on low heat for about 2 minutes. Stir in rest of sour cream and all spices. Cook another 2 minutes.

Serve hot in hors d'oeurve cups on a pretty plate. : )

Yes, I splurged a bit this season and bought myself a platter and a set of plates. Ohhhhh how I love them!!

Pretty, aren't they? I got them here.

Bon appetit!

Zesty Beef Casserole

This sounds yummy to me!

~ 1 tsp.Cooking oil
~ 1 lb.Lean ground beef
~ 1 c. Chopped onion
~ 1/2 c. Chopped green pepper
~ 1/2 c. Chopped red pepper

~ 1-14 oz. Can of stewed tomatoes, with juice

~ 2 c. Medium egg noodles
~ 1-12oz. Can of kernel corn (with liquid)
~ 1 1/4 c. Water
~ 4 oz. Can of diced green chilies
~ Envelope of taco seasoning mix
~ 1/2 tsp. Salt
~ 1/4 tsp. Pepper

~ 1 c. grated jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese
~ sliced black olives for garnish

Heat cooking oil in large frying pan on medium. Add next 4 ingredients. Scramble-fry for about 10 minutes until beef is no longer pink. Drain.

Add tomatoes with juice. Stir. Transfer to ungreased 3 quart (3 L) casserole.

Add next 7 ingredients. Stir. Bake, covered, in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 1 hour, stirring once at halftime, until noodles are tender but firm.

Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Garnish with olives. Serves 6.

~ Courtesy of Company's Coming

Pretty Veggies

Isn't this a pretty way of presenting veggies? Fun for kids...and adults.

Ok, I'll try and get off the veggie kick for a while. I just had to share.

~ Photo courtesy of Kraft

Easy Marinated Veggie Salad

Tonight I made a super easy marinated vegetable salad. I actually LIKE broccoli this way. I guess because it is marinated in yummy salad dressing. But it works. Does it ever, all of my kids ate it! And not just one bite but lots of bites.

I used:

~ grape tomatoes

~ cauliflower

~ broccoli

~ chickpeas

(I was going to use green beans but then realized I didn't have any)

Cut up veggies and toss with your favourite salad dressing. I used Kraft Classic Herb. It was delicioso! Let it sit in the fridge for an hour at least, if you can, before eating.

(I loved the above photo, I found it on myrecipes.com, as you can see, you can add whatever veggies you have on hand).

Greek Couscous

I threw this together for lunch today and it was yummy.

~ 1 serving of couscous, cooked according to package (couldn't be easier, just boil the water, add couscous, take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes)

~ 1 small tomato diced

~ 1/2 c. cucumber diced

~ feta cheese (of course, my fave)

~ a few dashes of dill

~ a tablespoon of your favourite salad dressing (I used greek with feta and oregano.  You could also use Italian, oil and vinegar etc.)

Mix together and eat.  Two of my girls saw me eating this today, tried it and wanted more.  2 out of 3 ain't bad.  It's light and full of flavour, enjoy!

Eat your Veggies

I don't like broccoli.  I'm really trying.  The other night I made carrots and broccoli and used a 'veggie gravy' I got from the Woman's show.  You can find them with the other packaged instant gravies in your local supermarket.  It was basically a cheese sauce and it was really good.  I had to drown my broccoli in it but I ate it. : )  I do like raw broccoli or at least I tolerate it.  So that's something.  It's a super food!  If you have any recipes for broccoli, send them my way.

Chicken and Gravy with Puff Pastry

This recipe is from one of my favourite food blogs, Picky Palate.  She has some great recipes and ideas!!  Check it out.

This dish is super easy to make.  Tonight I made it with rice because I was out of puff pastry.  It is SO DELICIOUS!  A link to Picky Palate is in my sidebar as well.

Click on 'Picky Palate' above to get the recipe.

Enjoy!

Tuna Cakes with Tartar sauce - round 2

So I made tuna cakes a while back if you recall, without an egg. They turned out not too bad but this one was a little bit better, just because it wasn't so mushy in the middle and it held together a bit better. I also made tartar sauce to go along with it this time and it was nummers. I doubled the tuna cake recipe to feed all five of us. I used less saltines than it called for and I added some feta cheese to it!!

~ 1 (6 oz.) can tuna, drained
~ 1 egg, beaten
~ 1 tbsp. onion, minced
~ 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
~ 12 Saltines, crumbled
~ 1/4 c. skim milk
~ 1/4 tsp. butter
~ Dash of pepper
~ handful of feta cheese (optional)

In medium bowl combine all ingredients except butter and shape into 6 equal patties. In 10 inch nonstick skillet, heat butter until bubbly and hot; add patties and cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned on both sides.
Makes 2 servings, 3 cakes each.

Tartar sauce

~ 1 cup mayonnaise
~ 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
~ 1 tablespoon minced onion
~ 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
~ 1 tsp. dill weed
~ salt and pepper to taste

Mix altogether and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

My friend who contributed this recipe said her hubby raved about this soup. They both loved it!! And it has 3 super foods in it!! This sounds perfect for a crisp, fall day!

~ 1 large sweet potato
~ 3/4 cup canned light coconut milk
~ 2 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
~ 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced in to 1/2 inch pieces
~ 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
~ 1 15 ounce can adzuki beans (she used Kidney beans and they were great)
~ 2 packed cups coarsely chopped baby spinach leaves
~ 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint or cilantro
~ 1/2 tsp sea salt

Microwave sweet potato until very tender. Split potato in half with a knife. Use a pot holder to hold each half and scoop pulp into a medium saucepan.

Add coconut milk and mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth. Stir in broth, red pepper and curry powder. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in beans and heat through. Stir in spinach; keep stirring until just wilted. Ladle into 4 shallow bowls and top with mint or cilantro and salt.

Enjoy!

~ Courtesy of Sarah B.

Super Foods

We've all heard of these foods that are super healthy for us and how we need to increase our consumption of them to reduce heart disease, reduce our risk of cancer and lower cholesterol. I was reading my recent copy of FITNESS magazine and they had an article on super foods as well as a calendar of recipes for the entire month of October.

I was pleasantly surprised that I am better now than I used to be about incorporating these foods into my diet. All except maybe broccoli. Not a fan. But I'm trying! If anyone has any yummy recipes for broccoli or recipes that include any of these super foods, email me and I'll share them with our bloggies.

Broccoli

Good for your bones and reducing risk of cancer

Microwave it to preserve up to 90% of broccoli's vitamin C (Steaming or boiling holds just 66% of nutrient).

Salmon

Source of Omega-3 fatty acids which help to reduce heart disease, cancer and depression. Also good for your brain and memory!

Dark Chocolate

Just one-fourth of an ounce daily can reduce blood pressure. Rich in antioxidants which reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.

Potatoes

Red and sweet potatoes help in cancer fighting and are immune-boosting. Contain about same amount of folate as spinach or broccoli!
Let potato cool before eating. It helps you burn about 25% more fat after a meal due to a fat-resistant starch.

Walnuts

Contains the most omega-3 fatty acids of all nuts. Improves mood and fights cancer. Helps to regulate sleep, have a few for dessert!

Spinach

Contains lutein - good for your eyes, immune-boosting antioxidants. Most effective out of all cancer-fighting fruits and veggies.

Avocado

Rich in healthy fats, lowers cholesterol. Contains folate and fiber which helps reduce heart disease. Add it to your salad to increase absorption of key nutrients in other foods!

Garlic

Powerful disease fighter, can inhibit bacterial growth including E. coli.

Anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Don't expose garlic to high heat for more than 10 minutes or it will lose it's important nutrients.

Beans

Eating a serving of beans, peas or lentils 4 times a week can lower risk of heart disease by 22%. May also help to reduce risk of breast cancer.

The darker the bean, the more antioxidants (good stuff) it contains.

Click on the word calendar above and it will take you to the super food recipes for everyday of this month! It also has a link to print a calendar out if you wish. Now go out and buy some superfood! Or at least one, it's a good start. : )

~ Info courtesy of Fitness Magazine

Lunch today - Tuna Cakes

I made these for lunch today, improvising because I had no eggs. Yes, they were a bit flaky but all three of my girls ATE THEM! I was thrilled. Even more thrilled than normal because I just kind of threw ingredients in and hoped for the best. I am a 'must have a recipe in front of me' kind of girl so I impressed myself with these tasty cakes. Although anything with 'cake' in the title, can't be all bad.

Basically, they were warmed tuna salad. Here are the details as best I can remember from an hour ago. : )

~ 2 cans tuna, drained

~ 3-4 Tbsp. mayo

~ 1 Tbsp. mustard

~ 1 1/2 Tbsp. relish

~ 1 chopped green onion

~ handful of crumbed feta cheese (got the idea from this recipe)

~ 6 soda crackers crumbled fine

~ few drops of hot sauce

~ pepper

(an egg is probably recommended but I muddled by without one)

I think that was all.

Mix altogether. Form into patties. Melt some butter or use olive oil to coat your pan. Cook patties in pan over medium high heat. Flip over, once they are browned on one side (2 or 3 minutes per side).

We had them with these and it was a yummy fall lunch! Would make a good supper too. : )

Enjoy!

~ Photo from Kraftfoods.com

Quick Pickles

These pickles are easy and sooooo delicious! They'll keep for up to a year in the fridge in a container.

~ 5 lbs. (little) dill cucumbers
~ 1 red pepper, chopped fine
~ 1 large white onion, chopped fine
Put these ingredients into an ice cream bucket or container of your choosing.

Brine
~ 4 c. sugar
~ 2 c. vinegar
~ 2 Tbsp. pickling salt
~ 1 tsp. celery salt
~ 1 tsp. mustard seed
~ 1 tsp. turmeric

Bring brine to a boil. Pour over the cucumber mixture. Mix. Cool completely before putting the lid on. Refridgerate for about a week before eating. Soooooo good!! Try it!

~ Contributed by Linda K.

Make your own Pizza night

The girls and I had a make your own pizza night while Daddy was in bed with a terrible cold. That time of year already?  Anyway, they had a great time making their pizzas and they even looked edible!!  They were sooo tasty! 

We kept the ingredients really simple since my girls don't like any 'weird' toppings.  They topped their pizzas with pizza sauce, pepperoni, pineapple and cheese.

I just bought Pillsbury pizza crust (the stuff in the can) and we sliced it into 10 equal slices to make 10 mini pizzas.  

The girls then helped press down and flatten the dough.  Bake it for about 6 minutes, let cool slightly, then let the kids add their toppings.  Put back into oven for another 5 minutes or thereabouts, til the ingredients heat up and the cheese melts. 

 

Super good and fun.  Make it a movie night to top off the fun!

Peach Salsa

I know, I know, ANOTHER salsa recipe.  But it's a great way to take advantage of all the wonderful fresh produce in the summer.  On our holidays, my parents bought 80 pounds of peaches and we were the recipient of a few of them.   So I made salsa!  This is a recipe my sister gave me a couple years ago and it's so delicious.

~ 2 cups chopped fresh (or frozen, thawed) peaches

~ 1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper

~ 2 to 4 Tbsp. grapefruit juice (I used pineapple juice)

~ 4 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

~ 2 medium green onions, chopped (2 Tbsp.)

~ Dash of salt

(I also added a touch of lime juice)

Mix all ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavours.

My aunt and cousin threw a wonderful bridal shower for my sister a few years ago and they had the fantastic idea to have a salsa bar.  It was so delicious!  You can use this peach salsa and this one and this one and have your own salsa bar!  Feel free to send me YOUR favourite salsa recipes, jzmgirlz@gmail.com. 

~ From the kitchen of Leah C.

Sticky Chicken - The Original

Well, summer is almost over and we are getting back to our normal routine. How come summer goes by so fast? **sigh** I would like it to be longer. I hope everyone had a great summer!

Tonight I am making sticky chicken. My mom used to make this when I was a kid and I loved it. Now my girls love it too. What's not to love, honey and sugar...can't go wrong. Not the healthiest version but they eat it. Score!

~ chicken breasts, thighs, wings, whatever you like to use (I used breasts)

~ 1 c. honey (or 1/2 br. sugar, 1/2 honey)

~ 1/4 c. soy sauce

~ 2 Tbsp. Ketchup

~ 1 clove of mashed garlic

Layer chicken in a 9x13 pan, single layer. Mix rest of ingredients and pour sauce over chicken. Bake at 325F for 2 hours. Turn chicken 2-3 times and baste while cooking.

Enjoy, it's yummy!

Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas

Today, my girls and I made these chocolate covered frozen bananas for a sweet treat this afternoon. They were SOOOO good! (They tasted way better than they looked....heehee...) The girls were a bit weirded out by the fact that the bananas were so cold. But once they got over that shock, they wolfed them down.

Here is how we did it:

~ 3 bananas

~ 1 Hershey's chocolate bar

~ sprinkles

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut bananas in half and stick a lollipop stick in center of one end. Put on parchment and put into freezer for an hour and a half to two hours.

Once frozen, melt chocolate bar in the microwave. I then put a generous dollop of chocolate on a plate for each of the girls to dip the bananas into. They then added some sprinkles as well.

Put bananas back onto parchment and back into freezer for another hour or so.

Then EAT!

Sweet and Sour Chicken aka Sticky Chicken

This is a quick easy recipe that I am trying today. It is similar to one I have for sticky chicken. It should be good and I'm hoping the kids like it. Will let you know!

~ 2 Tbsp. Ketchup
~ 1 cup Water
~ 1/2 cup white vinegar
~ 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
~ 1 cup Brown sugar, packed
~ 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut bite sized.
~ 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
~ 2 Tbsp. water

Combine first 5 ingredients in slow cooker. Stir.
Add chicken. Stir. Cover. Cook on Low for 6 - 8 hours or on High for 3 - 4 hours.

Combine cornstarch and second amount of water in small bowl. Stir into
slow cooker. Cook on High, stirring often for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened.

~ Contributed by Linda

What I'm snacking on right now...Pico de Gallo

I absolutely LOVE salsa, in case I haven't said it before. Not long ago, I posted a recipe for Mango Salsa, click here for that recipe, and now I'm posting one of my faves, Pico de Gallo! I am eating it with nacho chips...not so healthy. But you could use pita chips, that would be yum!

Here is the super easy how-to:

~ 4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
~ 1/2 med. white onion, diced

~ 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

~ 1/4 c. fresh lime juice

~ 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro

Course salt and fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients, let stand at least 30 minutes. Store in fridge up to 3 days.

What we're having for supper tonight...Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

We're having this dish for supper tonight as well as this (click 'this')

~ 1/4 cup KRAFT SIGNATURE Sundried Tomato and Oregano Dressing, divided

~ 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb./450 g)

~ 1 tomato, finely chopped

~ 1/2 cup KRAFT 4 CHEESE ITALIANO Shredded Cheese

~ 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of barbecue grate; preheat barbecue to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of barbecue 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on barbecue. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF). Yum!!!!

~ Courtesy of Kraft Canada

Mmmm...Smores....

I'm so happy you are dropping by! I don't mean to neglect you but I have been taking short breaks from blogging due to summer holidays. But that gave me an idea! We just got home from camping and my hubby made super yummy smores! What a good blog post that would make! And as my niece suggested, you can even do this in the microwave. Thanks for the idea sweetie.

Here's the how-to for camping:

~ Put chocolate (we used Hershey's bars) on a graham cracker.
~ Put your roasted marshmallow on top.

~ Top all with another graham cracker.

Then, my hubby put the entire thing over the campfire again for a minute to get the chocolate to melt even more. Eat and swoooooooon. Ahhhhhh...camping heaven.

Here is a recipe I found for Smore FONDUE! Oh ya, now we're talkin'....

~ 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows
~ Full Sized Marshmallows (at least 20) for dipping
~ 2/3 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
~ 1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
~ 3/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Over low flame, heat mini marshmallows and evaporated milk while stirring until melted (DO NOT BOIL)
Slowly add chocolate chips while stirring
Slowly add graham cracker crumbs while stirring
Keep stirring until mixture becomes smooth

To Dip:
Full Sized Marshmallows
(courtesy of GoFondue.com)

Hope everyone is having a good summer!

Hawaiian Luau Party

Aloha! This weekend, my sister and I planned a Hawaiian-themed party for our Mom's birthday. We bought lei's, drank Blue Hawaiis out of pineapples, had a bunch of decorations and yummy food. Of course, we had Hawaiian music playing the background. Theme parties are fun!

Check out the recipe for Mango salsa below!

Mango Salsa

This salsa is refreshing and healthy!

~ 1 ripe mango, peeled and ½-inch diced
~ ¼ cup chopped scallion, green part only
~ ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
~ 1 tablespoon finely diced fresh jalapeno
~ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
~ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
~ ¼ teaspoon salt
~ ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit in fridge for an hour or so before eating. Serve with nacho chips or pita chips. This would be delicious with fish for dinner as well!

Chocolate Lollipops

My girls and I made chocolate lollipops today. It was so much fun and they are yummy!

Here's how we did it:

~ 1 bag (11 oz) white chocolate chips
~ Food colouring, your choice (we used pink and yellow)

~ Sprinkles or small candies for decorating

~ Lollipop sticks

Melt the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water on the stove. Takes about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.

Colour half of the melted chocolate for decorating (we coloured it all using a couple different colours) by pouring chocolate into a bowl and adding a drop of food colouring.

Spoon tinted chocolate into a baggie or pastry piping bag and secure closed. (I used ziploc bags and just cut the corner off for piping.)

Place filled portion of bag into a small bowl of hot water so chocolate doesn't harden while you fill another baggie with chocolate.

Give each child a small sheet of waxed paper and place a lollipop stick on top. Let each child spoon a dollop of chocolate over the top of the stick. Or use piping bag. Use a spoon to spread the chocolate into a circle or oval. Decorate with a different colour of piped chocolate if you wish.

Decorate with sprinkles and small candy. Let sit and harden or pop waxed paper and lollipops into the fridge to harden. Peel away waxed paper and eat!!

~ Courtesy of 'Kids Parties'

Strawberry Lemonade

Here is a yummy take on homemade lemonade!!

~ 2 cups water
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
~ 1 cup fresh lemon juice
~ 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
~ 2 cups cold sparkling water or club soda
~ Ice
~ Mint sprigs, garnish
~ Whole strawberries, garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Let cool completely, then strain into a clean pitcher.

In a blender, puree the pint of strawberries and add to the pitcher with the lemon juice. Stir well to combine and refrigerate until well chilled.

Add the sparkling water and stir well. Pour over glasses filled with ice and serve, garnished with mint and strawberries.

~ Recipe courtesy of Mo and Emeril

Crepes

Tonight, I had no idea what to make for supper.  We desperately need to go shopping but in the meantime, I was on my own with the girls, it was nearing 6:00 and they were hungry.  I looked in my pantry, the fridge and found ingredients for crepes.  Perfect!

To make 6 crepes, use:

~ 1 cup flour

~ 1 cup milk

~ 2 eggs

~ 1/4 tsp. salt

~ 1/2 tsp. sugar

~ 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put ingredients into a blender and pulse for 10 seconds.  Scrape sides and keep pulsing until mixed.  Heat up your crepe pan or frying pan to medium heat (I played around with the heat). Grease heated pan with a dab of butter, only for the first crepe.  You don't need to regrease.

Pour a bit of crepe batter into pan and turn pan to coat the bottom evenly.  (This is why I like mixing it in a blender, it's easy to pour!)  When the batter starts to bubble, check the bottom of the crepe and flip it over.  It only takes a minute or two on each side so don't leave your crepes alone!  Pour next crepe and repeat.

The only fruit I had in the house were apples so I peeled and sliced an apple, microwaved it til it was soft and added a touch of cinnamon.  Put a bit of apple mixture onto a crepe, roll it up and eat it.   We dipped ours in a bit of icing sugar and syrup.  Tasty and (fairly) healthy!   Use any fruit you like or stuff crepes with ham and cheese or mushrooms.  The possibilities are endless.  Bon appetit!

Green Beans and Basil

I am always looking for good vegetable recipes. They have to be simple, quick and tasty! Getting kids to eat veggies is difficult but try them out in different ways, hopefully you'll find one that your kids will eat!

This one sounded good to me. I'll post a comment to let you know how it turns out.

~ 1/3 cup KRAFT SIGNATURE Sundried Tomato and Oregano Dressing, divided
~ 1 lb. (450 g) green beans or yellow beans, trimmed
~ 1 red onion, sliced
~ 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add beans and onions; cover.
COOK 5 min. or until beans are crisp-tender.
TOP with basil; cover. Cook 1 min. Serve warm.

Sounds good, doesn't it?!

~Kraft Canada