Mission: Hop on the Nutella train and give these sweet treats a try! And, I’ve never turned down a cookie.
Details:
I was careful to follow the directions carefully, since I can get a little carried away when I’m baking. I’m a huge fan of the heaping measurements and the fine craft of winging it!
I looked everywhere for Hazelnut Extract and couldn’t find it. Everywhere! I found every kind of extract you could imagine, except for Hazelnut. Then I remembered my stash of coffee booze… Frangelico is hazelnut! I substituted the liquor for the 1/2 tsp of Hazelnut/Vanilla Extract.
They got “crackly” right at 12 minutes, but my cookies weren’t quite as puffy as Our Best Bites‘.
This recipe made 45 cookies!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
These cookies are pretty darn easy to make! The dough was super sticky though, even after refrigerating them. In order to squish them before putting them in the oven, I dipped the bottom of my glass in flour.
I watched closely and ”little cracks” did begin to form, but it wasn’t as dramatic as I was expecting (like with a chocolate Crinkle Cookie).
I’m still getting used to our new oven, and apparently the bottom rack is pretty hot. I scorched the bottoms of the my first round of cookies and they were really bad. I was scared. Then, I tried a good one and was hooked!
I will also say that I thought that they were even better the next day! Spending the night in a Ziploc Bag
made the cookies softer.
These cookies were great! They cookies had a hint of that salty/sweet thing going on. I am a major sweets fan, but I really liked that little bit of salty. They were like “grown-up” cookies.
Mission: Bake up a batch of Nutella goodness. That entire sentence makes me drool.
Details:
I followed the recipe exactly.
I baked them about 12 minutes and didn’t smoosh them down with a cup until about halfway through the bake time instead of before putting them in smooshed (I know that is not a word but I am using it anyway – these are Nutella cookies after all who cares about grammar).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I highly recommend turning these cookies into ice cream sandwiches. Brilliant idea on my children’s part!
Pros:
Um silly easy and insanely rich, chocolate goodness!
Cons:
You will eat the entire batch. Period.
Conclusion:
This is now a recipe in my personal cookbook and I fully intend to make it over and over and over again.
This recipe came from Our Best Bites and I am a huge fan of their recipes. Many of the items within the recipe should be in your pantry or on hand. I was a little shocked that this recipe did not include eggs, but was willing to try it. Anything for Nutella people!!!!
I skipped the step to use a small glass to slightly flatten the cookie before baking. My cookies turned out just fine!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used a small ice cream scoop/melon baller to form the dough into balls. This worked out great and was just the right measurement, too!
Pros:
This is a super easy recipe to follow.
Cons:
Hazelnut Extract might be a bit hard to find, but worth it! I found it at Cub Foods, our local grocery store.
Conclusion:
These cookies are AMAZ-ING!! One bite and I died and went straight to heaven! They taste like mini-brownies. Very soft and chewy.
I sent a batch of these cookies over to my parents house and my brother, who hates anything sweet, said that these were the best cookies he has ever tasted. Seriously, you need to make these cookies!!!!
Mission: My kids and I are Nutella lovers…we buy the double pack at Costco almost every time we shop there. So, needless to say, this was a must try!
Details:
I tried my darndest to find Hazelnut Extract… well, I searched high and low at my local Super Target anyway. Go figure that they had every type of extract BUTHazelnut Extract. So, I opted for the Vanilla Extract-only version of this recipe. I was a bit bummed, but with the three kids in tow, I just didn’t have it in me to go on a more in-depth shopping excursion to find it.
Outside of this hurdle, this was such an easy recipe to follow. It had a minimal number of ingredients, which is always a plus in my mind and went together quickly. I whipped up the dough in the morning before we headed out for the days events and then baked the cookies when I got home that afternoon.
I hosted a clothes swap that evening at my house with some girlfriends and put these out with the other munchies and they were a hit! All the gals enjoyed them – as did my kiddos. These cookies are a delicious rich chocolate treat for all ages.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Thanks to my mom, I have two bowls for my KitchenAid Mixer, which makes this so very easy to do. I mixed my dry ingredients in one and then the wet ingredients in the other. This made for a smooth transition mixing the dough together.
When I pressed the cookies with the bottom of a glass, I also used granulated sugar to give a little punch to the cookies. It gave them an added glisten on the cookie platter for presentation.
Pros:
Using parchment paper keeps the mess to a minimum when it comes to the baking portion of this recipe. So great!
Adding the granulated sugar when I pressed the cookies was a fun way to dress up the cookies.
Cons:
Don’t cook too long or they get crunchy – still tasty of course, but not soft and chewy.
Conclusion:
Two thumbs up! Easy recipe to follow and super easy to bake and of course eat.
Six Sisters’ Stuff has done it again, showing us the easy way to a delish Italian dish! Their Slow Cooker Lasagna recipe looks like a busy day’s dream come true!
Lasagna without an hour of prep work? Sign us up!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: Love a quick way to put together a dish and come home to a yummy meal!
Details:
I added fresh chopped basil that I had on hand.
I used ground sirloin and cooked with chopped onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
All of the products that I used were organic!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Definitely watch it once it is done cooking. Mine cooked for 3 hours on high and was amazing as I took a couple of bites! Then I went on a shopping spree while it was on warm and I came back to a slightly drier dish.
Pros:
Very easy, just layer and put on high or low then you will come home to a good meal.
Cons:
It needs a little spice! I think I may use spicy Italian sausage next time to get it a kick!
Conclusion:
YUMMO!! Mike loved it! I thought I wasn’t going to get the crunchy edges that I love so much from pan lasagna, but you definitely get crispy edges. Ideas to add more vegetables, I love adding shredded carrots to my tomato sauce and using zucchini slices instead of noodles!
Mission: Okay, I have always wanted to try this. The one thing that has been holding me back is that no one in my family will eat lasagna! Weirdos. I personally love it, so I was excited to finally try it.
Details:
Now usually when I use the slow-cooker, I prefer not to have to cook anything beforehand. However, this called for browning the ground beef or sausage.
I opted for sausage and I made my own sauce.
I also only used ricotta cheese on half of the lasagna just so I could get my husband to eat it…again, weird.
You basically layer the lasagna just as you would if you were cooking it in the oven, but you don’t cook the lasagna noodles first (regular noodles, not no-bake). I was curious to see if this would actually work!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Careful breaking up the noodles to fit in the slow-cooker. I recommend wrapping them in a towel or putting them in a storage bag before you start cracking.
Pros:
I’m a big fan of the set it and forget it.
Cons:
The noodles were a bit soft for my taste, I prefer them a bit more al dente.
Conclusion:
Overall I was surprised that it actually came out well. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I think I want to try adding veggies next time. My husband ate it but requested that next time I add prosciutto.
Mission: I’m not generally a big fan of “American” Italian food, but I am loving learning more about this magical contraption they call the “Slow Cooker”. I was really excited to give this recipe a try, especially since I love Six Sisters’ Stuff!
Details:
I stuck with the plan, but here are some specifics.
Prego Chunky Garden Combination Pasta Sauce
93% Lean Ground Beef
Dried Parsley (as opposed to fresh)
I also added a little extra cheese… of course!
Also worth noting, my crock pot cooks food at warp speed. I learned this after crying out for help to my Facebook friends when my last crock pot experience was done and bubbling out of the pot in 1/4 of the recommended cooking time! It’s the Rival Smart-Pot 5 Quart Crock-Pot.
In my turbo crock pot, this dish was lookin’ pretty done after about 2 hours (on low), however we didn’t eat it until it had been almost 4 hours. At the 2 hour mark, I used my “toothpick trick” (trick details forthcoming) which probably helped cool it down in there and keep the dish from overcooking.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray before adding any of the ingredients. This trick not only helps get the food out, but makes clean-up pretty easy, too.
If your slow cooker starts to pop the lid with steam and make a “clink clink” sound, prop it open just a bit with a toothpick. Works like a charm!
I picked up zuccini and mushrooms to add, but I forgot about them! Next time, I won’t forget and I might also add just a little more sauce or water to compensate for the added ingredients and prevent the dish from getting dry.
Pros:
Where do I begin? Although not a big pasta girl, I loved this lasagna recipe and was giddy about the two good-sized containers of leftovers that we had. More for me!
Cons:
None! With a little maneuvering, I was even able to get each piece out without turning it into slop!
Conclusion:
LOVED IT! So easy, so yummy, frickin’ awesome. I feel excited to have this recipe in my book; since most of the items are in the cupboard, this is a great meal to make when you have a busy day at hand.
Mission: To take lasagna where it has never gone before – the crock pot!
Details:
I went with an Italian pork sausage and think I would change that for next time. I found the meat a little chewy. I think I would actually mix it with ground turkey for the flavor.
I also used my own homemade sauce. I used 24 oz like the recipe called for. I ended up adding a little at the end however because I like it to be a little more saucy.
Also, I added 3 or 4 more noodles than what was called for. 6 just didn’t seem like enough.
After 3 hours it was pretty much done and I should have set the crock pot to “warm” at that point because after 4 hours it was really done – almost too done (mushy noodles don’t appeal to me!).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a slow cooker liner! They will literally change your life. I used Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners. They are amazing and made clean up seriously quick. Much quicker than a large pan of lasagna that is for sure! I would also suggest cutting the cook time way down. I don’t know if my crock pot runs really hot but it cooked almost completely at about 3 hours. Next time I make it I plan to switch it to “warm” at the 3 hour mark.
Pros:
EASY! Delicious and basic ingredients for the most part.
Cons:
My kids didn’t like the ricotta cheese so I may need to omit that next time. Or maybe I will just force them to try it again! My hubby also prefers how the oven makes the top crispy so I may need to put a little section in the oven on broil to appease him too.
Conclusion:
I will be making this again for sure! It would be ideal for a large group to have a few crock pots going.
Mission: It seemed like an interesting recipe to try in the crock pot. I’m always game for trying new recipes and making a meal that is good left over for lunch at work.
Details:
I got all the ingredients at the grocery store!
I swapped out the ricotta for a container of cottage cheese.
I used dried parsley and added some shredded mozzarella cheese to the recipe as well.
I also had a half-full open jar of sauce that I added in addition to the full jar the recipe calls for.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe only called for two layers of noodles, but I put in three. After making, I could have even put in another two layers. It all depends on the size of your crock pot.
I had put it on high for about 1 hour and then turned it to low for 2-3 hours. Once you notice that all the cheese is melted and the edges start to crust and brown, it is done.
Put extra cheese in on top, you know you want to! It is lasagna after all!
Pros:
Easy to throw together, but most lasagna recipes are that way. It made a lot and I ended up putting it all into small containers for lunch. I put half in the freezer and the other half in the fridge.
Cons:
It tasted good, but just wasn’t the same as cooking it in the oven. It fell apart and was a little too liquid-y. I wished I had put in more noodles when layering it.
Conclusion:
After getting it all started, I began to question why one would ever have the need to make lasagna in their crock pot? It might be a good way to make lasagna in the summer if you didn’t want to turn your oven on, but it just didn’t have the same flavor as it would if you were to cook in the oven. It was interesting to try, however I am not too sure that I will make it again.
Eat at Allie’s has created a sweet treat with a disappearing act that is a perfect pairing for the story of the Easter Holiday. Her Resurrection Rolls are as easy to make as they are fitting for the big day!
Stories aside, we love marshmallows and bread. Period. Let’s do this!
Please click here to visit Eat at Allie’s and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: To create yummy pastries while teaching the kiddos the resurrection of Jesus. My Sons says “Jesus is a nice guy you know”- I couldn’t agree more
Details:
This recipe is very easy to follow and the items are all usually on hand in my kitchen!
I used both crescent rolls and biscuits. I found that the biscuits were easier to stretch and fit a large marshmallow with breaking or tearing the dough.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure you seal or crimp your ends tightly. Some of my seals broke open and created a huge sticky mess on the bottom of my oven.
Pros:
Very easy recipe to follow and super tasty. Cinnamon and sugar is a plus in my book.
Cons:
The mess in the bottom of my oven!
Conclusion:
Jesus has risen indeed! What a fun recipe and a great way to incorporate a Bible lesson at home with the kids – and did I mention it was a delicious treat!
Mission: Bake up some gooey, doughy goodness while entertaining the kiddos.
Details:
I used all the same ingredients and methods suggested in the original post minus the parchment paper. Clearly I was not paying attention there.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The parchment paper would have made a huge difference in serving and how well the little balls stayed intact since they would not have been baked onto the sheet so firmly…. which would have improved cleanup time as well.
Pros:
We all had fun making these. The kids were excited and so was I! Such a simple idea and very kid friendly.
Cons:
They didn’t turn out as lovely as Allie’s. In fact my kids kind of picked at the gooey center (mine did not turn into magical syrup like hers’ either) and then asked if they HAD to eat them.
Conclusion:
Not a winner in the taste category but they really were fun to bake. I don’t know that I would make these again in this method but might consider adding a bit of chocolate and mini marshmallows for a s’mores-like knock off. Pretty sure I could get everyone on board with that idea!
Mission: To make a yummy treat for the kids…oh and me!
Details:
I had all of these ingredients on-hand, which made this recipe even easier from the get-go – I love when that happens!
I melted the butter in a glass dish, got the cinnamon sugar mix ready, put the marshmallows in a bowl and started prepping these. I have a silly phobia of things that “pop”, such as balloons, fireworks, guns AND crescent roll tubes…so I secretly hate using these. My husband has a good time making fun of me for this fear of mine. But, I power through opening the tube and forge ahead.
Anyway, once I was all set up, the process of making the resurrection rolls was very quick and easy. Outside of getting my hands coated in butter and sugar, it was a smooth process.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure to tightly secure the crescent roll around the marshmallow to avoid having it spilling out the sides as mine did. It ended up being messy and not as cute as they should have been once baked.
Pros:
Minimal ingredients and delicious!
Cons:
A bit messy to create, and if you didn’t secure them tightly enough, messy to get them off the cookie sheet.
Mission: I was hesitant with this project at first. It was definitely something I personally wouldn’t have picked out to try.
Details:
I got the marshmallows and crescent rolls at the grocery store and had everything else on had.
It was really easy to put together!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Definitely put some effort into pinching the dough closed, I didn’t do this very well and as you can see, melted marshmallow all over the pan!
These are tastiest right out of the oven, don’t let them cool before eating because they get hard and very sticky.
Pros:
These tasted really good!
Cons:
Sticky melted marshmallows all over the cooking pan. Made it difficult to get the rolls off the pan without pulling them apart!
Conclusion:
These turned out okay, but I don’t know if it is something that I would make again. The story on the blog is really sweet and would be fun to tell to kids while making the rolls.
Mission: Make some fun, vibrant neon eggs…with going to the drugstore to get a PAAS kit.
Details:
I have to admit, I didn’t include my kids in making these. I didn’t have the patience.
I ended up using gel food coloring, instead of regular food coloring. 1 tsp of gel food coloring did the job. Just make sure you whisk it well.
Mission: Have some fun on an activity I haven’t done since I was a kid!
Details:
Bought a package of liquid Neon Food Color and the old school egg dying kit
Used a cake rack for drying
I didn’t have regular vinegar on hand so I used Apple Cider Vinegar
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Have patience…I failed at this!
Wear gloves, my hands looked a mess after! Be careful on anything you touched…the dye may stain (although then you could try out the Homemade Shout Stain Remover)!
Pros:
Fun and easy project! Can’t wait to do this once I have kids.
Loved the vibrant, neon colors and the vinegar is supposed to make it even brighter!
Cons:
If you are looking for perfection you must have patience! I didn’t have patience to wait for a deep color or to let the eggs dry 15 minutes between dipping.
Conclusion:
Definitely had fun with this project! Mike joined me and was getting into the different colors!
Great project for kids…just be careful with the dyes!
Mission: To create some adorable Easter eggs with the kids.
Details:
First off, my son was beyond excited to try this – he had been asking to open the dye for days! So, once my youngest went down for her nap, we set up shop and got going.
I was able to find the PAAS Color Cupsand the neon food coloring easier than I expected and of course found them both at my second home, good ol’ Super Target. Seriously, I live at this place and sometimes more than I am at home. It is one of the few places I can take all three children and keep them contained as I shop.
After placing a paper bag on the table and taping it down with masking tape, I prepped the colors as specified. The neon food coloring I found was a four pack of purple, pink, teal and orange. The kids dunked their eggs all the way under for an all over color result while I tried unsuccessfully at making mine more mod with white space and such.
I hadn’t expected the neon dyes to stain – but should have read the label on the food coloring a bit further. My son put almost his entire hand into the teal dye and will have Smurf fingers for a few days.
When we were pleased with our dying job, we then set the eggs on a cookie rack over a muffin pan to dry.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Follow her directions and use rubber gloves if you want to avoid any staining of your hands. If I haven’t mentioned before, I am sometimes horrible at following directions to a “T”, and I grazed over this mention somehow! Oops!
Pros:
Beautiful and intense colors when finished – just gorgeous!
These bright colors make me so excited for spring and the Easter holiday.
Cons:
The food coloring will stain your fingers and clothes, so be prepared for that if you are working with wee ones.
I tried using the egg dipper at first, but it just wasn’t working well for me so I resorted to my hands…hence more staining.
Conclusion:
These don’t look like my momma’s Easter eggs! This project was such a fun spin on a tried and true tradition for this holiday. You must give this one a try! Plus, having fun colored hard-boiled eggs helps to get your kiddos to eat them up!
I happened to run into Easter egg dipping cups for $.99 at Menards. These cups were great for holding the vinegar, water and dyes and can be reused!
The original directions called for t-pins, foam and brown paper bags. I do not use any of these items. I covered my work surface with wax paper and used my cake drying rack. This worked perfectly!
Also, the longer you leave the egg in the dye mixture, the more vibrant your color will be. I left my eggs in the mixture for about 10 minutes max.
Pros:
Very east to follow the directions. The eggs turned out vibrant and colorful.
Cons:
The dye mixture stains! Be sure to wear gloves and cover your work area. The tips of my fingers were purple for days.
Conclusion:
I couldn’t be more pleased with how my eggs turned out. I love bright colors. It reminds me that Spring is on its way!
Although, my kids were desperate to get involved and help, I decided that this project was best left to the adults because of the staining factor.
Mission: Create Easter eggs in Spring’s hottest hues: NEON!!
Details:
Gather supplies, most of which I had at home: white vinegar, eggs, Neon Food Coloring, containers to place eggs in for dying, a drying rack, newspaper, and gloves to protect your fingers from becoming neon, too!
Boil the eggs, let cool and then get to dipping!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Follow suggested amount of dye…I used probably half as many drops as suggested and my neon colors were muted…but still pretty!
Martini glasses used to hold each dye color worked really well for this project!
Pros:
Who doesn’t love dying eggs for Easter?
Cons:
NONE!
Conclusion:
This childhood favorite is still fun! The possibilities are endless…let your creative juices flow!
Your Homebased Mom has cracked the code on Micky D’s ode to the Irish, the Shamrock Shake! It looks just like the real thing and uses only a handful of ingredients that may already be in your fridge!
We needed to see if this milkshake brought the boys to the yard…
Please click here to visit Your Homebased Mom and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: Shamrock Shakes? Love those things! Although after being “displaced” for 7 months I am on a sabbatical from fast food joints, so if I want some Shamrock Shake action, I’m going to have to make it myself!
Details:
I popped for the Monin Green Mint Syrup after the customer reviews convinced me that I would be noshing on fancy desserts and sipping pinky-up French beverages if I did. I’ll let you know how that goes.
I halved the recipe only because I accidentally saw the Nutritional Information on the side of my container as I was shoveling it into the pitcher.
I just love my Cuisinart Smart Stick. It is the best kitchen gadget ever. I have a little pitcher from IKEA that is always the perfect size for blending smoothies and now milkshakes! Just dump everything in and blend with hardly any cleanup!
Pros:
Tastes just like the real thing but with an even better texture – like from a malt shop!
Cons:
I halved the recipe. I wanted more.
Conclusion:
I loved this thing, it was even better than the real deal!
Mission: Recreate the infamous McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.
Details:
I had all the ingredients on hand and had some eager taste-testers.
Although I did not have mint syrup, I used mint extract and Crème De Menthe. Close enough, right?
Tips & Tricks Learned:
This recipe is pretty straightforward. Add ingredients to blender and blend away. I used a bit more milk than the recipes calls for.
Pros:
Very easy to make and most kitchens will have the items on hand.
Cons:
Not a huge mint fan, but the kids loved it!
Conclusion:
I have never had or tasted a Shamrock Shake before, as I am not a huge fan of mint. I was pleasantly surprise how good this tasted. This will be a great project to make for St. Patrick’s Day!
Mission: I love mint. Mint chocolate chip is my absolute favorite ice cream. However, I have never before had a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. I figured this would be a great time to give it a try.
Details:
The great thing about a milk-shake…it’s very simple to make, add ice cream and milk.
I had to go to three stores in search of mint extract or mint syrup. Peppermint was easy to find, but the recipe requires “mint.” I finally found mint extract and stopped at my local McDonald’s on my way home for my Shamrock Shake comparison.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Don’t forget to put the top on the blender! I learned that lesson when I was 8 years old.
Pros:
A quick and easy treat, and definitely festive for St. Patrick’s Day!
Cons:
Finding mint extract. (Oh and a small Shamrock Shake has 530 calories)
Conclusion:
I have to be honest; I wasn’t really crazy about it. However, the recipe holds true and is well comparable to the McDonald’s shake. I ended up making green vanilla shakes for my crew and they were thrilled! So if you are a fan of the McDonald’s Shamrock Shake then try this recipe, it won’t disappoint!
Jennifer, over at Savoring the Thyme has unlocked the secret to a truly tasty and budget-savvy meal with her Greek Inspired Chicken. Even better is that this not-so-boring chicken can be kid friendly!
Better brush up on your Sirtaki! Opa!
Please click here to visit Savoring the Thyme and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: I’ve been dying to try Savor the Thyme’s recipe. When I first spotted it on Pinterest, I drooled on my computer. Any excuse for me to use feta in a recipe. Not to mention, I’m tired of the same old chicken. I’m trying to only serve lean protein and we’re all getting bored with it. “Chicken again?”
Details:
The directions we’re easy to follow. Just flour the chicken breasts (season first) and cook them in the frying pan with some olive oil.
The fun part was putting together the Greek goodness. Olives, Feta, and tomatoes! Yum.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a cutting board that has a lip around the edge so the tomatoes and olives don’t go rolling off when you try to slice them.
Pros:
Simple and so delicious! And it has feta!
Cons:
None, aside from the fact that I should have made more of the topping just to throw on a salad.
Conclusion:
First of all my husband was pleased not to have to eat the same old chicken recipes I usually make! This one had a ton of flavor and was truly easy to make. It’s definitely something I can whip up quick when I get home from work. Did I mention I LOVE feta!? I’m sure this would be a great crowd pleaser for a group as well. It’s not only flavorful, it’s eye appealing as well. I’m going to try this a little different next time…marinating the chicken in Greek dressing first. We’ll see how it goes.
Mission: To cook healthier meals for the New Year…always a resolution! And this looked delicious!
Details:
I am trying hard to follow the Paleo diet so I had to use almond flour to coat the chicken instead of all-purpose flour.
I changed it up a bit by sautéing the spinach with the garlic (yummy…I used lots of garlic) then I topped the finished dish with fresh chopped basil.
Despite trying to keep the Paleo diet I still topped with the crumbled feta. A gal still needs cheese, it makes everything a little more scrumptious. And what’s Greek inspired if it doesn’t contain olives and feta!?!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be certain to defrost the chicken…I was too lazy to and it took a bit longer for my chicken to cook. It came out a bit dry because of this.
Pros:
Very easy to make, healthy and the ingredients were super cheap!
Cons:
Nothing really, my chicken was dry but that was because of my own laziness!
Conclusion:
Mike and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be saving this to make it again! Very healthy dish that is super quick to make!
Mission: My first thoughts, Yum! But the picture looks too good to be true, no way could I make mine look that yummy.
Details:
I had feta on hand, so before that went bad, I decided to whip up the meal. I grabbed the rest of the goods at the grocery store.
I used soy flour and coconut oil that I also had on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I let the chicken cook for quite a while…uncooked chicken frightens me.
The coconut oil worked really well for cooking, I just always forget to use it to substitute olive and veggie oil.
The recipe was really easy to follow, I didn’t deviate much from it.
Pros:
Did I really make something this delicious and fresh tasting? And it actually looked like something I could serve to guests? Awesome!
Plus, it actually keeps really well left over for those who are making it just for themselves.
Cons:
Nothing here, except cooking chicken in the skillet makes my apartment stink for the next 4 days. Can’t wait until I get a house someday!
Conclusion:
I already have this on my docket of go-to meals. It was so yummy, light and fresh, it almost made me forget it was winter!
I am so proud of myself for actually making something that somewhat resembled the picture and that would actually be appetizing for my fiance or guests. This is a must try recipe!
Mission: To find a delicious, healthy and quick meal for my family.
Details:
YUM! This recipe sounded great from the get-go and really turned out amazing.
This recipe had minimal ingredients, that were all easy to find, so that was a plus from the start.
Our family tries to steer clear of gluten as much as possible, so I substituted almond flour for the regular flour it called for.
In addition, I added chopped onion when the tomatoes and olives were tossed in the oil as we love onions in this house!
This recipe was so easy to prep and cook so we will definitely be making it again! I couldn’t believe how quick it all came together – I think I was in the kitchen no more than 20 – 25 minutes before it was done and on the table.
Next time we make this, I may try using kalamata olives in place of the black olives for a little extra zing.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure your oil of choice is hot before you start cooking your chicken. The chicken breasts I used were a bit thick, so the cooking time was more like 5-6 minutes per side vs. the 3-4 it called for.
Pros:
Easy, healthy and delicious! This would be a great go-to recipe for entertaining.
Cons:
Nothing!
Conclusion:
So delicious and my husband and kids loved it! I can’t wait to make it again!!!
Mission: Try a new way to spruce up the good ole chicken breast (let’s be honest – it can be rather boring!).
Details:
I used 5 chicken breasts instead of a package of three but I think the lbs. were about the same.
I did finish the dish with some thinly cut fresh baby spinach.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I am a true chicken-over-cooker at heart and have a VERY hard time not turning the meat several times and NOT cutting into it to check the doneness at the end. Both of these issues usually result in over cooked chicken but I got lucky this time and that did not happen. I did however; lose a lot of the delicious, crispy goodness due to my excessive turning. Moral of the story boys and girls, just turn it once. That really is all you need!
Pros:
Easy, quick, cheap, fairly on hand ingredients or at least ones that even I can get in the back woods I call home.
Cons:
Well my children. They are the only con. Having zero to do with the dish itself (it was truly insanely delish and would be a major crowd pleaser for a group of adults) my kids didn’t like the fact that there was “stuff” on top of the chicken. I kind of new that would happen but for the sake of a picture I topped it anyway. They lived by either not eating it or scraping it off.
Conclusion:
I will DEFINITELY be making this again. My hubby ate two servings and raved about it (which can be rare since I do usually overcook chicken). The flavor was SO good!
Iowa Girl Eats has taken that gorgeous gourd we all love to a whole new level with her Stuffed Acorn Squash. A healthy dish that is hearty enough to stand on it’s own and pretty enough to grace your holiday table.
Since squash isn’t just for fall, we dove right in to this seasonless recipe!
Please click hereto visit Iowa Girl Eats and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: To try my hand at another healthy and quick meal option.
Details:
I LOVE squash – of all kinds, so I was instantly excited to give this one a try.
I followed the recipe as noted, but in place of the sausage links, I used venison breakfast sausages. My husband is an avid deer hunter, and let me just say our freezer if FULL of venison, so when I can find a good use for it, I go for it!
I did add onion to my mixture – one of my favorite savory flavor additions to recipes and it added a great texture and flavor.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
If you are a breakfast fiend, like my family is – make sausage links for breakfast and then use your left overs to make this for dinner!
As I mentioned previously, add in onion and you could also add in bell peppers or carrots or even shredded zucchini to give it more body.
My stuffing was a bit dry, and honestly, that is the one part of this recipe I would not include the next time. I try to stay as gluten-free as possible with my diet, so it would be good to instead use a pound of ground sausage or add pecans/walnuts or zucchini, etc. vs. the stuffing the next time I try this.
Pros:
Pretty easy to prep and make and very tasty!
Cons:
My husband and my kiddos weren’t interested in trying this one – but also a pro as I got to eat it all by myself!
Conclusion:
A quick and semi-easy meal option that is not only healthy, but fills you up in a good way!
Mission: I’m not a huge fan of squash but I am of stuffing, and this was just appealing to the eye. Sure to get the guests talking.
Details:
I like the shortcut of getting the squash going in the microwave first. I was a little disappointed that my grocer was out of my favorite turkey sausage. I ended up using a chicken sausage instead, and I wasn’t too fond of the consistency of it. The great thing about using sausage is that it is already seasoned with savory flavors.
I prepared the stuffing and added the sautéed apples and sausage. Into the squash it went, and then a quick broil. A simple recipe for something that looks so elegant.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe was so well written and easy I can’t really provide any tips. However, I would maybe try making my own stuffing with fresh herbs instead of using Stove Top.
Pros:
Super easy and appealing to the eye.
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
I enjoyed making this one even though I’m not a big squash fan. The flavors blended well and it really looked beautiful.
Mission: I love the Iowa Girl Eats blog and was so excited to try one of her recipes!
Details:
Found all the goodies at the grocery store.
I was making it just for myself, so picked out a smaller acorn.
Substituted bacon for the sausage because I had it on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It might be a good suggestion to cook the squash cut side down in 1/2″ of water. The way the recipe calls for, cooking the squash cut side up, made it pretty dry. I don’t know how it would turn out, but it might be worth trying.
Pros:
The stuffing was awesome! I had to snag a little from the pan for an appetizer!
Cons:
The squash turned out dry and was hard to eat out of the skin.
I ended up spooning out the squash “guts” so I could actually eat it together with the stuffing.
Conclusion:
Will have to keep this recipe in my collection! A great, healthy recipe to try in the new year!
Mission: Mike and I get so bored with the same old dinner recipes so I am always looking for new ones and this looked delicious!
Details:
I have to be honest, I have never eaten Stove Top Stuffing and now I can’t imagine not eating it. Yum!
I had a bit of a mess up with my ground pork, freshly cooked…Mike dropped the bowl on the ground. Things happen, so I used Italian sausage that I had on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I thought the stuffing was a bit too dry so I added a little more than a cup of chicken broth. But basically, follow the directions and this will turn out perfectly!
Pros:
Yummy! Mike and I both thought it was delicious! I can’t wait to start stuffing other vegetables!
Cons:
Only that we didn’t have much for left overs!
Conclusion:
This is definitely a winner recipe and will be made again. It was quick and didn’t involve too many ingredients which I liked. The presentation is great so this would be a perfect dish for the holidays and for friendly gatherings!
Mission: Keep my tots busy while making a sweet treat to gift during the holidays.
Details:
I used Chocolate Mint Candy Canes because we have a chocolate addiction in this house. Not necessary, but a major perk as it added to the chocolate flavor of our cocoa.
We also used some round sprinkles that were multi-colored just for something different. They were a bit messy but the look was pretty.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I did this little project with my kiddos so I made sure we had everything lined up and ready roll before melting the chocolate. They stuck the straws into the marshmallows and even dipped them all on their own. That just shows you how easy this is and it really did make for a great project on a cold winters day.
Pros:
Easy and most things were on hand. I happen to keep those little straws in my party supply drawer so we were stocked and ready!
Cons:
None unless you have an aversion to chocolate and messes. There were a lot of both since it was an “assisted” project.
Conclusion:
I think this would be fun for Valentine’s Day too and even Easter. It doesn’t warm up in my neck of the woods until very late spring so we indulge in cocoa through a lot of holidays!
Mission: I LOVE me some marshmallows…seriously, I have a fixation with Peeps! So, let’s just say I had no problem trying these out!
Details:
Finding the candy canes was the hardest part for me – it wasn’t quite the holiday season yet, so they weren’t in many places. I ended up snagging them at Target, along with all the other ingredients.
I opted for dark chocolate chips – which I LOVE and I felt it made this a bit more “grown-up”.
After finishing these up, my kiddos and I also made homemade hot chocolate – such a great winter treat! These two things together were so nummy, they gave me warm fuzzies.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
If candy canes are no where to be found – you can always use the peppermint hard candies as a replacement!
Use a Ziploc baggy and a rolling pin to crush your candy canes – was kind of messy, but easy to do.
Pros:
Quick, easy, cheap and delicious in hot chocolate or on their own. My kids absolutely loved them!
And, if you have time to package them up cute, an awesome present!
Cons:
Just a bit messy, but anything in the kitchen is.
You may get a bit of candy cane stuck in your teeth!
Sugar & Spice by Celeste has shared the recipe for her Favorite Quiche! This recipe looks like the perfect secret weapon for your holiday brunch or last-minute get together.
With the holidays right around the corner and house guests on their way, we couldn’t wait to test this one out!
Please click hereto visit Sugar & Spice by Celeste and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: I have never in my life made quiche. I’ve always been a frittata kind of gal. However, I know my mother loves quiche. I figured it would be great to have a nice brunch with my mom.
Details:
I read the recipe a few times first because I’ve never done this before. I seriously had no clue that you actually bake the pie crust a little before you make the quiche. I also did a little dance when I saw I could use a store-bought crust. Score!
While the crust was baking I sautéed the onions and mushrooms and cooked the bacon. I put the egg mixture together and wilted the spinach. When the spinach was about wilted I turned off the burner and started shredding the Gruyère. It was truly an easy recipe to follow.
I combined the ingredients and poured it into the crust shell. Dang! There seemed to be too many ingredients. The egg mixture went up over the crust.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Roll the crust out a bit more so it reaches the top of the baking dish.
Pros:
Easy and tasty. Perfect for a brunch with friends.
Cons:
None, especially seeing I got to use the store-bought pie crust.
Conclusion:
Wow, the flavor! This quiche was fantastic. Even my father had two pieces and he’s not a huge fan of quiche. The only thing I would have done different is rolled the pie crust out a bit and baked it a little longer prior to putting the quiche together.
This recipe is being filed under “awesome for brunch.”
Mission: My first thoughts, “Looks yummy and recipe seems simple!”
Details:
Prior to making the quiche, I had prepared a cherry pie for my family’s Thanksgiving meal. Homemade crust is freezable (after checking with my mom of course), so I wrapped it and stuck it in the freezer until a day prior to making the quiche. I didn’t have enough for a full 9-inch crust, but opted to cut the ingredients down a little and make it in a few smaller dishes.
As for the ingredients, the cheese was the priciest of everything (found one brand for $11!) but Target offered a slightly cheaper smoked Gruyère ($5) and was made just next door in Wisconsin. After Googling for a substitute, swiss cheese can work as well.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
This recipe allows for some rough estimation of ingredients. Since I decided to make a few smaller quiches, I used only two eggs, a splash of milk, and cut down the other ingredients to about half of what the recipe called for.
Cook it longer than you think. It may start to look light brown on top, but you want to make sure that the egg is cooked through, so just give it a few more minutes than the recipe calls for.
Pros:
Worked pretty well to make with my smaller dishes. Turned out really yummy! Great as leftovers as well.
Cons:
Though it turned out perfect, the small dishes were precarious to get into the oven without spilling! No other cons with this recipe!
Conclusion:
Definitely going to keep this one handy in my recipe box. I brought my leftovers to work and my coworkers were impressed with my chef-skills. They even asked to get the recipe!
If you want to make your coworkers jealous of your lunch, you have got to try out this quiche! (hehe)
Mission: Test out a simple recipe in hopes of having a new dish for the holiday company.
Details:
I chose Alpenhaus Le Gruyère which was a little pricey at about $8.00 for 8oz but I only needed about half the block so not too bad.
I did not have a tart pan (although it has been added to my Christmas wish list!). I used a fluted 9 inch glass pie pan instead and that worked just fine!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe said 45-55 minutes. I would definitely suggest 55. I was bringing my quiche to a party and was in a hurry so it only got 50 minutes and it was just a little softer than I wanted. Still delish though!
Pros:
A nice mix of flavors a little deeper than your standard quiche. Pretty quick to throw together too!
Cons:
The cheese is kind of a budget breaker but I think you could sub that for something cheaper or use less.
Conclusion:
I will definitely make this again and may mix up the ingredients by using sausage instead of bacon or even ham.
The Jones Way has caught our attention with her easy way to make Sticky Buns at home! The Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring sounds almost too good to be true, so of course we had to find out to be sure!
Please click here to visit The Jones Way and see the recipe that we followed!
Mission: Oh, yum! My childhood memories consist of sticky buns for breakfast! My Aunt Faye makes the best sticky buns so I decided to test these to see if this new twist with syrup and cinnamon could beat her recipe!
Details:
I used dark brown sugar instead of light! I hope the only difference is the color and not taste.
I used walnuts, good brain food and I have them on hand!
Ugh…I am not a baker! I always mess up with baking anything…even as simple as this recipe! I forgot to add the cinnamon so I sprinkled it across the top of the biscuits.
Being that I am too cheap to get a Bundt Pan which I don’t think I would ever use again; I instead opted for a 9in baking dish.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I don’t know about you, but I always hate buying brown sugar because I rarely use it and when I do it for that rare recipe…it is hard as a rock! I decided to find a way to prevent this and found a bear. This little bear is supposed to help but again if you are like me and too cheap to do so… simply toss a piece of bread in with your hard brown sugar and viola…2 days later the sugar will be moist again!
Pros:
Quick and easy! Very tasty treat!
Cons:
Sticky…ha, hence the name! There are no “cons” here!
Conclusion:
YUMMY! Yes, Paleo friends…I ate them and enjoyed every bite! I had to eat them for the sake of the blog! Mike’s comments, “Un-Real” and “Phenomenal”! I did bring what was left of the dish to my coworkers who all devoured them!
This would be a great recipe for a shower or holiday brunch!
Mission: Being pregnant has made my sweet tooth crave even more than normal! This breakfast treat looked too yummy to pass up!
Details:
I haven’t bought biscuits in forever – and in all honestly, I have a fear of opening those darn biscuit tubes…my husband always gives me a hard time about this!
This recipe looked amazing and sounded pretty easy to whip up, so we gave it a whirl!
I was super excited to use my grandmother’s Bundt Pan for this, as this was the first time I had put it to use and it is so darling.
Outside of the pain of opening the biscuits, this recipe was so easy and went together super quickly! We just zapped the butter in the microwave, added the agave syrup and then followed the steps noted. My kids helped by nibbling on brown sugar crumbs
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I substituted the pancake syrup with organic blue agave sweetner as that is what I had on-hand and prefer. This worked amazing and helped me feel a bit less guilty about all the sugary sweetness!
Pros:
Super easy to prep and make, delicious and both of my kiddos enjoyed it! That’s a plus!
Cons:
Left me begging for more!
Conclusion:
Two thumbs up! An awesome sweet breakfast treat and we loved it so much, we made it again a week later!
Mission: Create sticky, gooey, delish sweet bread for the family to devour.
Details:
I used two small tubes of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits and Aunt Jemima Syrup (this is the ONLY brand we buy in our house). The other ingredients are mostly generic.
I couldn’t find my Bundt Pan so I opted to layer it in a bread pan and it worked just as well! It would probably be prettier in a Bundt pan but why fuss if you don’t have to. Plus my kids really could care less about the shape. They just wanted the gooey goodness inside the pan.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It is definitely key to coat the pan well with nonstick baking spray. It would be oh so disappointing if it stuck.
Pros:
It really does taste homemade even though there are some obvious shortcuts. Win-win if you ask me!
Cons:
It is TOO good. Couldn’t. Stop. Eating. It.
Conclusion:
This sweet breakfast treat is the perfect thing to whip up on a special morning to impress company with. They will definitely be fooled into thinking you were up early slaving in the kitchen!
Mission: I really wanted to find an easy and delicious, crowd-pleasing breakfast treat. This recipe seemed to fit just right. Who can resist sticky buns?
I could not get over how incredibly easy this recipe was. A wet mixture (butter and syrup) and a dry mixture (brown sugar and cinnamon). I literally had this put together and in the oven in less than 5 minutes.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used butter to grease the pan instead of cooking spray…it added a little more flavor.
Pros:
Super easy, quick, and totally yummy.
Cons:
They don’t call it “sticky” breakfast bun for nothing.
Conclusion:
I was surprised how easily this sticky concoction just dropped right out of the pan and onto the plate. It was beyond delicious! Pleasing to both the eyes and the taste buds. I will definitely be making this often. It was just so easy. Who doesn’t love some cinnamon and brown sugar yumminess in the morning with their coffee?
Mission: I grew up looking forward to sticky buns at my aunt and uncle’s house on Sunday mornings. I knew that making them was a special tradition that wasn’t something that they just threw together. Learning about this so-called quick and easy way to make a brunch favorite sounded almost too good to be true!!
Details:
In typical Maren fashion, I used rounded measurements and went a little heavy on… everything.
I am not a huge nut person, so I omitted them altogether.
I actually cooked this, covered it in foil, and then rode 45 minutes in the car to my mom’s house and put it back in the oven to warm it up. I felt that the biscuits were a tad doughy in the middles, but no one else thought so, nor did they care as they all grabbed seconds and nearly licked their plates!
Pros:
I could hardly get a photo of this thing! As soon as I turned to pick up my camera, my family dove in head first!
Everyone loved it. Everyone.
Cons:
You can’t really tell when it’s done… just go with it!
Conclusion:
This super easy recipe is heading straight into my recipe book! I can’t wait to impress our friends by making it at our next brunch!
Mission: To bake something that I won’t consume the entire pan of upon completion. Major fail for me here which means these really were WTFOMG good!
Details:
I did not have half and half so I used ½ heavy cream and ½ whole milk, thanks to my kiddos.
Instead of using a fork to mix the butter into the dry ingredients I used a Pastry Cutter. So easy to get it all mixed in this way with a lot less effort.
To mix the dry ingredients with the wet, I started off using a wooden spoon but quickly realized I should have just used my KitchenAid. So I dumped it into the metal bowl and within a few seconds it was mixed perfectly. Sometimes I am pretty wise.
Also, I included testers of the 5 and under age group. HUGE success with that target market (not too shabby with the 30+ age group either).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a mixer if you have one instead of your own brawn. Totally worth the end result with no sweat involved.
I decided that I would cut my scones even smaller since I knew kids would be consuming them. I didn’t get a chance to count them (that is how quickly they were eaten) but I dare say you can get nearly 2 dozen out of this recipe.
Pros:
UM seriously tasty and so appropriate for fall. Scones initially made me a little intimidated but these really were pretty simple and so worth making.
Cons:
I ATE TOO MANY. That is all.
Conclusion:
I will definitely be making these again. It would be fun for a Thanksgiving brunch or even around Christmas time.
Mission: I have never in my life made scones. They’re a treat I recently discovered that I absolutely love; I’m just hoping I can do it. At least it’s not a dough that requires yeast, that would increase my chances of failure. My husband is not a huge pumpkin fan and if I can impress him with these I will consider this a success.
Details:
The instructions from We Heart Food seemed quite easy.
I finally got to use that little contraption my kids are always asking about, the Pastry Cutter. I don’t bake much so I’ve never used it before. It worked like a charm.
I also got to use the dough hook that came with my KitchenAid mixer. I’ve always been more of a cook than a baker.
The combination of the cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg was phenomenal.
My dough was rather sticky but I was able to get it rolled out into a 1-inch thick slab by just using my hands. As far as cutting the dough, the directions didn’t seem right or I read them wrong so I created my own way which worked great.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The frosting: follow the instructions perfectly. You don’t want it too runny because it will slide right off the scones. The second glaze needs to be a little thicker than the first for a reason…it blends all together if it’s not.
Pros:
Really easy and beyond delicious!!
Cons:
Me and confection sugar glaze have had a battle with each other since my elementary school days, but I FINALLY got it right this time!
Conclusion:
These are definitely a winner! My husband came downstairs asking what smelled so awesome. When I told him they were “pumpkin” scones he looked a little bit disappointed. That was until he ate one. He too exclaimed, “Oh My God!” followed by an obscene word and an “awesome!”
The kids had them for breakfast this morning and couldn’t believe I really made them. I’m taking the compliments as a success. Now I need to go see if they left me any.
Mission: After laughing hysterically reading the post by Chris and Lisa of We Heart Food, I was pumped to make these scones! I have a scone recipe that is my old standby, but am always looking for tasty new flavors like pumpkin! Mmmm!
Details:
I super stuck with the program on this recipe. I even leveled off my cups and spoons with the back of a knife!
I used a really handy trick for the drizzled icing. Pour your icing into a baggie and snip off a teensy bit of the corner! Instant pastry bag!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The next time I make these, I think that I’ll try using my Pastry Cutter and Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer which I LOVE! I would just like to see the difference in texture.
I floured the crap out of this dough, as it was a little sticky to roll out while still being able to pick them up to place on the baking sheet. The texture wasn’t negatively affected, and the scones were a perfect, delicate baked consistency when done! A little lighter and fluffier than your average heavy, dense scone, which I liked!
Careful that you don’t go overboard though. There were a couple of scones that had excess flour on them and the first layer of icing didn’t want to adhere to those areas.
Cutting the scones… um, I somehow failed this part of the scone baking process. I just ate the stupid looking ones first. Problem solved!
Pros:
Holy S#!T these ARE amazing! I feel so proud of myself!
I feel like freaking Julia Child, minus the Julia Child voice {said with the Julia Child voice}
The drizzled icing has a strong presence of clove that really emphasizes the pumpkin flavor! It is PERFECT!
Cons:
Apparently cutting 1 rectangle into 12 triangles is too complicated for me.
Conclusion:
I LOVE WTFOMG SCONES!!! I cannot wait for my next chance to make these incredible treats to share! I want to show off this incredible recipe that practically turns me into Martha’s protégé! I also want to eat mass quantities of this treat so I will have to always make double batches… note to self! I just want to shout it to the world!
Who doesn’t love tomato soup? We discovered a fresh new take on this favorite at More Fruit Please. She has created an enticing recipe for Tomato, Basil and Cheddar Soup that (thanks to a special ingredient) is both creamy and healthy!
Okay, you’ve got our attention!
Please click here to visit More Fruit Please and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: Fall always makes me want to cook. Usually it’s the comfort foods that I really crave. When I saw this recipe it was a MUST. I wanted to try it. I have never made a puree type soup. I pretty much stick to making chicken soup in various ways or making my turkey chili.
It was truly very simple. Saute some onions and garlic, add two cans of diced tomatoes and some vegetable broth, add the basil and other seasonings, and let it all simmer. Add in the Greek yogurt and some shredded cheddar and puree with an Immersion Blender.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The big tip I have to offer you…do not ribbon the basil. Chop it very finely or it gets all caught up in the Immersion Blender.
Pros:
It was an easy recipe and the flavors together were fantastic.
Cons:
I personally wasn’t too in love with the texture. I can’t figure it out.
Conclusion:
This soup was really easy and inexpensive to make. It was definitely a more flavorful tomato soup. There was just something about the texture. I don’t know if it was the yogurt or the shredded cheddar. It just wasn’t as creamy as I imagined it was going to be. It still went well with my grilled cheese.
Mission: Cold weather brings out my love of soups so I felt this was a perfect recipe to try for the chilly winter months coming ahead! Added bonus, tomato soup is Mike’s favorite!
Details:
I broke out my handy dandy Oster Blender for this recipe! Ok, I have to admit…I personally haven’t used it for its food processing capabilities, not even for this project. I had my friend, Heather, over for dinner and she used her amazing chef skills to puree!
The soup curdled with the Greek yogurt! Sounds gross, right? I went into a panic, the soup wasn’t looking pretty! Have no fear since once you blend the soup, there will be no more signs that things went array!
Oops, 2 cups of cheese were added! With two cooks in the kitchen something will go wrong, right!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I have goggled for you why the soup curdled and how to prevent it! From reading, I think it was from adding the yogurt too quickly or maybe because it was too cold, so two options poor the yogurt in slowly or let it sit to room temperature before adding.
Suggestion, a hand held Immersion Blender may be best to prevent a mess as Heather had to blend the soup in batches.
Pros:
Very quick and easy! Yummy!
Cons:
Curdle…ugh, I can’t even handle the word!
Conclusion:
I loved this soup! Mike is my tomato soup connoisseur! He was a fan but commented it was bit too cheesy! Next time, just one cup of cheese! Heather’s comment was that it needed a little tomato paste to give it a bit more tomato flavor…I think less cheese may do the trick!
When you are chilled this winter, this is the perfect soup to warm you up! I paired the soup with grilled chicken and salad…I thought it all looked too yummy to not share!
I would also recommend pairing the soup with a cheesy sourdough grilled cheese for a perfect winter meal!
Mission: I absolutely love soup – and tomato soup at that! This recipe sounded easy and didn’t sound like it had an excessive amount of ingredients, which to me is always a good sign. I also had some yummy canned tomatoes from my mom’s Iowa garden that I had been looking to add to a recipe.
Details:
This recipe sounded really straight forward from the get-go and I had many of the ingredients already on-hand, which is a huge plus in my book.
I was able to use up some of my FAGE plain Greek yogurt and had pre-shredded cheddar cheese ready to go in addition to many of the other ingredients.
I sautéed the onions and garlic and continued to follow the recipe as directed. Each step was very straight-forward and easy. The process was simple and quick and came together with ease.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used as many ingredients as I had on-hand – one less trip to the grocery store is always awesome in my eyes. Not having to load up my crew to just leave the house is a huge benefit.
I love using fresh summer produce! I was able to use my Mom’s canned Iowa tomatoes as well as fresh basil from my own garden.
Pros:
Super easy to prep and make and had pretty good flavor.
Cons:
Because I used my mom’s canned tomatoes, I think there may have been more natural water already, so I feel I could have skipped adding in the vegetable stock all together as the soup was more watery than I had desired.
I feel the onions and garlic could have been cooked longer to soften them more and bring out more of their flavor before moving on to the next step.
In addition, I stupidly forgot that I have a Magic Bullet, so I kept the soup “chunky” in style vs. blending it smooth. I love soup with texture, so I was totally fine with that, but my only complaint is that the Greek yogurt did not ever really fully melt/smooth into the soup.
Conclusion:
Super easy recipe and a great way to use some fresh produce! I enjoyed it, but am not sure I’ll be making it again as it just wasn’t my favorite soup ever.
Mission: A simple way to add a little more flavor to my daily water intake…and try to get my husband to actually drink water, but that’s a far stretch.
Details:
Mommy and the Monsters’ super easy instructions: Raspberries & limes and mush gently! Add water, ice and drink.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Don’t mash the raspberries too much, you’ll have seedy water. I used a strainer when pouring.
Pros:
Super, super easy and you can change the flavor to anything you want
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
I would definitely do this again but switch out the raspberries because I’m not a huge fan. I love the citrus and I’m thinking if I did some blackberries with a few slices of grapefruit that my husband might actually consume water more often.
Mission: On a recent trip to Denver, CO, the hotel I stayed at offered fruit infused water so I have been anxious to make this healthy drink myself! I have to be honest; I get bored with water so I like adding a little flavor!
Details:
Simple and cheap, I only added 1 lime, a pint of raspberries, ice and filtered water.
I also added blueberries, since I had them on hand.
Slice limes and dump everything in a pitcher…couldn’t get any easier.
Despite, being easy…don’t smash the limes and raspberries to smithereens as noted on Mommy and the Monsters! I went a little crazy while chatting on the phone…yikes! I ended up with raspberry and lime pulp mash water with blueberries! As you can see from the picture.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Sample all different variations of flavored water, such as cucumber, cantaloupe, pineapple and strawberry. Even fresh herbs would be great…mint, basil!
If you must sweeten, add honey or sugar to the water!
Pros:
REFRESHING AND EASY! The best way to give your water flavor without additives! So many variations can be made.
Cons:
I made this in a spouted pitcher which became clogged with the fruit. I found these great Fruit Infusion Pitchers, which is perfect for my new favorite water!
Even though I only used one lime, Mike and I both agreed the lime was the strongest flavor. I may cut back next time to only half of a lime.
Conclusion:
Fabulous recipe! So much better than adding flavored mixes to your water. This is natural and I would prefer it to any drink….even plain water! It is a must do for summer…very refreshing! Instead of making such a large pitcher, next time I’ll make several different flavors so I don’t get bored during the week. Mike loved it too, so whatever gets your family drinking more water is great!
Mission: To create a refreshing and delightful twist on water that my family would drink willingly.
Details:
This was pretty much foolproof since the ingredients were minimal.
I made a half batch because I was skeptical that the fam would actually consume this since it contained zero sugar.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Definitely don’t bash your fruit into smithereens. It would create a really gross end results with way too much pulp.
Also, I would recommend letting it sit in the fridge overnight and then maybe using a mesh colander to reduce the pulp making it a little more likeable for the tot crowd (or really picky hubby).
Pros:
Easy! Refreshing! Healthy!
Cons:
Fruit is not cheap. Period.
Conclusion:
I would definitely make this again and may even try a variation but would strain it next time for more drinkability. I found this clogged my straw too often.
Mission: I LOVE drinking water, but wanted to try a new spin to my daily routine.
Details:
I live in the produce aisle when I go grocery shopping…seriously, I’m not just a fruitcake in personality, I’m literally a walking fruit – I LOVE to eat fruit!!
So it was easy for me to pick up some raspberries and limes while at the store since I spend so much time in that aisle – and we had kiwi at home, so I decided to add a few of those in as well since they are one of my favorites!
This was not only super easy to prepare and then enjoy, but it also gave me an excuse to use my cute glass beverage dispenser! After lightly mashing the fruit, I added cold water and a little bit of ice and then set it in the fridge. We started drinking it just 6 hours afterwards and it already had great color and taste!
Even my kids were asking for it. It looked enough like juice and tastes sweet enough to be deceiving in that way as well. A great treat for us all!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I added in kiwi as well – it sounded like a great addition and I had a lot on hand. I think you could easily add any other citrus fruit to tang it up a bit if you wanted.
Pros:
Easy as pie and not only refreshing, but also hydrating!
Cons:
Makes your water slightly sticky due to the natural sugars in the fruit.
Conclusion:
Loved it! Would make it again for sure. I also think adding club soda to this would make this a great offering to serve as a non-alcoholic beverage at a shower or girly party.
Stick a Fork In It has done the heavy lifting for us by narrowing down the barrage of crock pot recipes and delivering this one perfect formula for Crockpot Barbecue Chicken!
Generally speaking, “Crock Pot” = easy, and we like that! Let’s see if this carefully curated recipe is all it’s cracked up to be!
Please click here to visit Stick a Fork In It and see the instructions that we followed!
Mission: Whip up some tasty sandwiches for my family with minimal effort!
Details:
Since I’m not a huge BBQ connoisseur, I stuck with the recommendation and used Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. I needed more guidance on the “1 bottle BBQ sauce.” I narrowly escaped a meltdown in the BBQ aisle when faced with Sweet Baby Ray’s in 400 different varieties and 3 different sizes. After much searching, I finally found the “Original” flavor and decided that the most logical choice would be the mid-sized bottle, which was 28 ounces. I mean, I’m the middle child and I’m perfect, so that must mean something.
I only checked on it a couple of times, flipping the breasts over and spooning the sauce over the top.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My most recommended trick for any crock pot recipe is to first spray the crock with Pam Olive Oil Cooking Spray. Makes clean-up a breeze. Those liners gross me out because they look like shower caps.
The chicken practically shredded itself when I was removing it from the crock pot! I hardly needed to even piece it apart with the fork! I put it in a bowl, and then stirred in some of the extra sauce for more flavor. It was incredible on a bun!
Pros:
Wow! This was ridiculously easy!
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
This recipe was great, I hardly had to do anything! Who doesn’t love a meal like that? I think that this would be a great item to make for a group, or bring to a party. I imagine that it is highly customizable with the plethora of sauce choices out there. I will definitely be hanging on to this one!
I cooked them for 5 hours (hour 4 with the cover off and on high in hopes of thickening the sauce a bit).
After removing the meat from the pot I still felt like the sauce didn’t coat it well enough and needed to get them a little more crusty so I opted to put them on a foil (Reynolds Non-stick Foil) lined pan on broil for about 10 minutes or so. This created a nice crust and seemed to secure the sauce to the meat a little better. Downside it also dried my meat out a bit. Bummer.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Not sure to be honest. It seemed like the pic was not realistic to the end results although the sauce tasted great.
Pros:
Would have been easy had it turned out how it looked in the blog post from Stick a Fork in it.
Cons:
Wasn’t what I was hoping for. The sauce was definitely too runny.
Conclusion:
Maybe if I had used less sauce and also chicken breast this may have turned out differently? Not sure I will make it again although I feel like this COULD be a good method. Might have to stick to the grill for now…
I substituted white vinegar for apple cider vinegar
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The chicken breasts can be thrown in before being thawed. This made it much cleaner and easier to put together.
The recipe is pretty basic, so if you are looking to use some spices up or like I did, use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar (because its been sitting in the cupboard for months!! It doesn’t go bad, right??), this recipe is flexible enough to do so.
Pros:
Perfect for a family meal and for people who live alone.
The leftovers could be shredded to make BBQ sandwiches.
So easy, a caveman could do it
Cons:
None that I know of.
Conclusion:
This is a recipe that works for my lifestyle because it is so easy, doesn’t make much mess, and gives me leftovers for my work lunch for the rest of the week. This recipe isn’t made to show off your culinary skills, so it probably is best to serve your family when you are short on time. Overall a decent crock pot recipe.
Mission: I am from the South, of course I love barbeque so I had to try this recipe! Then to top it all off, it’s in a crock-pot…easy cooking, just my style!
Details:
6 ingredients: chicken breasts, BBQ sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and garlic powder.
I didn’t have brown sugar on hand so I substituted for ¼ cup honey instead.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use the plastic disposable crock pot liners…they are amazing when it’s clean up time. Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners are my favorite. I unfortunately, was out and had to soak the pot for 2 days and scrubbed for what seemed like endless hours. Not worth the aggravation.
Don’t overcook. I had left my crock pot on low for 6 hours and I think because I had less chicken…mine came out a little on the dry side. Be sure to check along the way so the chicken is just as you would like it.
Pros:
Easy and delicious! Just throw everything in the crock pot and forget about it!
Cons:
Cleaning the crock pot is not fun.
Conclusion:
Great recipe, Mike loved it! I still prefer BBQ chicken on the grill…especially my dad’s but this is great when you are on a time pinch! Perfect for topping a salad when you have leftovers!
Mission: I love to bake – so finding a new cake recipe is a fantastic thing in my book! This one sounded delicious from the start!
Details:
My family and I were back home at my parent’s farm in Iowa for the weekend so I was able to bake with my mom on this project, which is always a fun occasion!
With this recipe, we decided to forgo the frosting as we wanted to make this a little less high in calories and I wanted it to be easier to transport back to Minnesota at the end of our stay.
The end result was fantastic and we dressed it up with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh strawberries – yummy!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My mom gave me a great tip for greasing the pans with Crisco and then flouring them to help the cakes come out of the pans with ease after baking. This worked great!!
In addition we forgot to grab a lemon at the store, so we proceeded with dried lemon peel for the cake batter. We used 1 teaspoon of the dried vs. 1 tablespoon of fresh, as it called for.
We used two 8” round cake pans vs. two 9” round cake pans as that is what we had on-hand. Because of this, we baked the cakes for 2 minutes longer than called for.
Pros:
Easy to prepare and bake and oh so delicious! A perfect summer treat – it is tart, fresh and refreshing!
Cons:
Because I didn’t go forward with the frosting, I wasn’t able to taste the final end result – need to try it someday.
Conclusion:
A delicious summer treat! I would definitely make this again – and even think making it as cupcakes would be fun for a birthday party or shower.
Mission: To make my family a treat in yummy lemon – perfect for Summer!
Details:
I used my very handy trick to making “Fat-Free Buttermilk” (which I have never actually seen in my grocery store). Simply pour 1 Tbsp Vinegar (or lemon juice) into 1 cup of Fat Free Milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
We are living with my in-laws at the mo’ so the only cake pan that I could find was a 13 x 9 (see “Tips and Tricks” below for baking time). Because of my pan size – my cake was just a 1 layer, potluck-style number.
I completely forgot to keep the wet ingredients separate from the dry ingredients. This is a common trend for me, but usually doesn’t make a difference.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Baking Time with a 13 x 9 pan = 30 minutes @ 350. After 20 minutes, the batter was totally liquid, 10 more and it was perfect!
The batter kind of “sizzles” in the oven at the surface. This was weird, but apparently totally okay, since it turned out fine!
The frosting was super runny, so I put the cake back into the fridge after icing to firm it up again before serving. I cannot imagine how a frosting this loose would work for a layer cake – I feel like the top layer would slide off! In order to thicken it up, I would imagine you would have to add at least a cup or two more of the powdered sugar, which would probably end up being sickeningly sweet.
Pros:
Fairly easy. Crowd pleaser! My mother-in-law loved it!
My husband’s take, “Delicious. Wouldn’t order it.” Translation: “Delicious. Apple crisp and carrot cake are my favorite desserts.”
Cons:
Rich! I had a second piece… then I wanted to hurl.
Super tartness from the lemonade. This was enduring to me at first, but then too much. Generally when there are baked goods in the house, I will eat them for days until gone. I had my two pieces of this one and never wanted to touch it again.
Not really a “Pro” or a “Con”:
The cake itself is really dense. My father-in-law thought that the consistency married well with the type of frosting. My mother-in-law said that cakes like this are her very favorite. I felt like it added a creamy element to the flavor that was a [nice] contrast from the super tartness of the lemonade.
Conclusion:
This was a great summer cake! Although not my personal favorite, my 3 taste-testers all liked it – so I will keep it around for any future summer gatherings needing a lemony treat!
Mission: Attempt to bake a cake from scratch. I am a from-the-box type of baker.
Details:
I knew I wanted to make cupcakes instead as I was having a party so I added paper cupcake holders
For cupcakes I had to cook for 20 minutes and fill cups ¾ full with batter
Used Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract- my girlfriend insists that this is a must for the best vanilla flavor! I would have to agree!
My KitchenAid Mixerabsolutely rocked on this recipe for both cake and icing!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Get lemons with a rough skin. I had two with a smooth surface and it was more difficult to grate.
Be careful with the egg shells…don’t crack on the bowl or while the mixer is running.
The delicious frosting kept well in the fridge over night. Tip…next day whip the icing but let it set in the fridge for an hour so it is not as runny.
Pros:
Surprisingly, it was pretty darn easy!
Cons:
The long ingredients list! Having to be so careful to keep the wet and dry ingredients separate! I forgot to hit the bubbles out of the pan!
Conclusion:
Huge Hit! Everyone that tasted them loved the lemon flavor of the cupcakes. The lemon zest in the icing is beautiful!
This is by far the best cupcakes I have made BUT I would say they are pretty dense. I must admit my baking powder and soda was pretty old so I wonder if this played into this.
I can’t wait to make it again but my booty doesn’t need these cupcakes on a regular basis.
Mexican food, check. Avocado, check. What’s not enticing about Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas? The Novice Chef shares her Cinco de Mayo recipe featuring that green goodie, avocado, chicken and salsa verde.
Please click here to visit The Novice Chef and see the recipe that we followed!
Mission: When I first saw this Pinned on Pinterest all I could say was YUM, YUM, YUM!
Not only am I an avocado lover but I love making enchiladas for my husband and I. I had never seen a recipe like this before. No traditional red enchilada sauce? I immediately struck the Pin and went to the site, The Novice Chef.
Seeing I recently got my husband to start eating avocados I was excited to share this with him. I even called my parents and suggested I go on over and make them for us all.
Details:
I would like to thank The Novice Chef for not using the word “roux” in the recipe even though I was tossing butter and flour into a pan. If you want to know what that’s all about go read my bio.
I started with making the sauce. It’s pretty simple. Butter, garlic, serrano pepper (which I had to substitute with cubanelle), chicken stock, cumin, cilantro, and sour cream. Adding the sour cream to hot chicken stock kind of turned my stomach a bit but all the ingredients coming together smelled amazing.
After finishing the sauce I started my enchilada assembly line and stuffed and rolled those babies.
I poured the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and hoped for the best. After all I was feeding my parents…my dad can be quite the critic when it comes to new things.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I baked the chicken breasts ahead of time and let them cool a bit. No need to burn the fingers.
Pros:
Super yummy and filling. Not too difficult to do.
Cons:
I’m not a fan of cilantro. It wasn’t over powering, but I would leave it out next time.
Conclusion:
These were delicious, but I have a few suggestions. When I make “my” enchiladas I always add black beans. They add to the flavor and texture. So I would definitely add them the next time I make this recipe.
A suggestion from my husband and my father: hot sauce! They added a little bit of hot sauce and said it “blended the flavors together.” Just the right kick.
I was glad everyone enjoyed them. I will never again use enchilada sauce out of a can.
Mission: To try out a new recipe on my family that sounded quick, easy and delicious! We LOVE Mexican food, so was really hoping for a delicious meal that I can make again.
Details:
With this recipe, I changed just a few of the key ingredients based on what I already had on-hand and wanted to tame the heat a bit since we have two young kiddos to feed as well.
I substituted the Serrano pepper for a pablano pepper, used up the Manchango and sharp cheddar cheese I already had on-hand.
In addition, my husband and kids aren’t fans of avocado, so I ended up only using half of one within four of the enchiladas and then made four without.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I prepped all of my ingredients earlier in the day during my kiddos nap time – it made the actual “make” time very easy. For my family, we made half of the enchiladas without any avocado and half with.
Pros:
Super easy to make and really tasty!
It was a hit with my husband, even though my kids didn’t seem as keen on it.
Also made enough for left overs which made lunch the next day great
Cons:
Uses some ingredients that may take a special trip to the store.
Conclusion:
Definitely plan to make again – would be a wonderful dish to make for a quick dinner with friends!
Mission: I could eat Mexican food every damn day, so I was excited to see a variation like this one by The Novice Chef!
We are currently shacking up with my in-laws, so I was hoping to make something both full of new flavors and that everyone would like.
Details:
In wall of salsa at my grocery store, I only saw a couple in “Salsa Verde” form. I picked Guy Fieri’s Mean & Green Salsa Verde solely because I love him… and the packaging was cooler.
My mother-in-law doesn’t like spicy food or avocados; so I only used 2 avocados, and fortunately my Salsa Verde was already ”Medium” as recommended by The Novice Chef.
I couldn’t find “Cabot Monterrey Jack” cheese or figure out what the hell it was, so I just used regular Monterey Jack. (I later learned that this is just a brand. Oh. Smart moment.
I actually made my chicken a couple of months ago – it’s Chocolate Therapy’s Crockpot Chicken Taco’s recipe! Easiest thing ever, and absolutely perfect in any mexican dish! Makes a boat-load if it’s just you and your honey, like us – so be sure to take advantage and freeze it in smaller portions!
I also ended up adding twice the amount of cheese in an attempt to win over my taste testers.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My cilantro was also frozen… I wouldn’t do that again. It tasted fine but was mushy and really grossed me out when I was adding it to the sauce.
I wouldn’t add the flour until after the chicken broth. Instant blob. Thankfully, I was able to break it up while the broth and spices melded. Phew!
Always wear gloves while cutting peppers. Always. That is, unless you like the feeling of your eyeballs bursting into flames when you take your contacts out 4 hours later.
Pros:
These were great! Everyone loved them! We were so excited to wolf these things down, I barely got a photo before they were gone!
The salsa verde had a strong “smokey” smell, which scared me, but the flavor was great.
They weren’t too spicy, and the avocado simply added a creamy texture and milder flavor – my [anti-spicy/anti-avocado] mother-in-law went back for seconds! She thought they had a nice “Zing.” My father-in-law however, thought they had “No zing.”
Cons:
I could have used a little more spice, but I liked the salsa that I used. Next time I’ll add another serrano pepper!
Conclusion:
Everyone loved these enchiladas, regardless of whether they thought they were spicy or not! They certainly had a unique flavor which was a nice way to switch up your “Taco Night”. I felt like I was eating something that I had ordered from a restaurant!
Mission: Get back into healthy eating with a yummy “treat” I can’t resist.
Details:
I followed the recipe as written minus the preserves as I forgot to pick that up at the grocery store.
Also, I didn’t get exact with the types of fruits they called for. Not a huge fan of kiwi so I substituted with others.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It was super easy and delicious so I didn’t really have much to change or learn. Maybe use it as a way to use the fruit in your kitchen that is getting over ripe. It all does blend together and maybe gets a little mushy so it’s perfect for using up fruit!
Pros:
Easy. Tasty. Crowd Pleasing.
Even my dad who doesn’t really like anything said “it’s OK.” (That’s GOOD in his book!)
Cons:
I don’t really have any.
It was a tad sweet so you may not need to use the sugars to sweeten it even more… although I’m sure they help with the juice that develops.
Mission: This twist on salsa looked sweet and refreshing. Something my kids would actually enjoy! I referred to the Annie’s Fruit Salsa recipe on Morgan Moore’s blog, One More Moore. Seven quick and easy ingredients and some dicing…I love dicing.
Details:
The ingredients:
2 kiwi’s, peeled and diced
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 oz. raspberries
1 lb strawberries, diced
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp preserves
A no-brainer recipe – dice and combine.
The cinnamon chips were also quite simple. Just cut up flour tortillas, sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar, and bake them at 350° for about 10 minutes. Viola.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I can’t stand the look of browning apples. Just one of those things that will turn me off from consuming this delicious treat, so I used a lemon to help preserve them.
Pros:
Easy and delicious, and you can vary it with the fruits you have on hand.
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
This recipe was super easy…that’s because I like dicing. If you don’t like chopping, then it’s not for you.
A great little tid-bit; if you don’t have the time to make your own cinnamon chips (although I do recommend you do) store-bought cinnamon pitas work just great with this salsa. It was devoured quickly and made the perfect dish to bring to the summer BBQ.
Mission: To whip up a yummy and mostly healthy snack with fruit I already have (that was my mission anyway).
Details:
I will admit that as usual I am trying to be all sorts of lazy thrifty here and I wanted to use fruit I already had at home instead of going out to hunt down what was used in the original recipe.
My fruit list looked a little like this:
Kiwi
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Orange Marmalade (this I did buy)
I also halved the recipe because I know my kids are a bit picky and I didn’t want to end up having to eat the entire bowl myself! I was smart because of course they didn’t LOVE it. They tried it and ate a little but I mostly had to finish it. I tried to save it for the next day but the flavors got a little too intense.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I think pinapple would have been a great addition and I would stick with a strawberry or raspberry marmalade because the orange had a slightly bitter taste which I am pretty sure turned my kids off. Apples (which I didn’t use) would have added a nice crunch.
Pros:
It was fairly easy and definitely pretty.
Cons:
Because I tried to deviate a little it wasn’t as good and some got wasted.
Conclusion:
I would definitely try this again though and change up some of the ingredients. Maybe also change my tasters to adults instead of finicky little ones.
Mission: Create a unique appetizer that is still family friendly.
Details:
I didn’t have a French baguette so I opted for cutting a couple of Ciabatta Rolls instead.
I also opted to leave the cracked pepper off in hopes that my family would actually try it. This was a smart move but when I make it again I will add the pepper. It would bring a nice bite to the dish.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Dice the strawberries small – per the instructions. It makes it easier to eat them. Also, let the balsamic and olive oil sit on the bread, cheese and topping before consuming.
Pros:
Pretty and SO tasty! It is a lovely combination of sweet and savory. Perfect pairing with wine!
Cons:
There really are none. I personally loved this dish and plan to make it again for people who can appreciate it as much as me (my family was as excited as I was about the dish but mainly that was because we had a LOT of food in addition to the appetizers on our table to consume).
Conclusion:
This is a fun way to bring sweet and savory together in one dish. Perfect for a dinner party and ideal for a night of wine and snacks. I will definitely be making this one again!
Mission: At first glance on Pinterest these things look delectable. A sweet take on the traditional bruschetta. I clicked on a gorgeous pin that initially to me to a fantastic food blog called Annie’s Eats.
The recipe itself looked simple, but to be honest it didn’t sound as delectable as I originally thought. Black pepper, olive oil, and basil with strawberries!? Let’s just say my husband and parents were giving me strange looks as I was preparing it.
Details:
First I sliced up a cup of strawberries and coated them with a tablespoon of sugar.
While I let the strawberries stand in the sugar I sliced the baguette.
Then it was assembly time. I spread the goat cheese on the baguette and then applied the strawberries and sprinkled them with some fresh ribbon-cut basil.
Lastly, it was time to drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over them and finish it off with some fresh ground black pepper.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Tips I am going to use the next time I make these:
a.) Toast the baguettes a little. Spreading the goat cheese on soft bread was tough and I think a little bit of crunch might make them a little better.
b.) Be cautious when “drizzling” the balsamic vinegar. I ended up dousing a few.
Pros:
They’re fast. They’re pretty. They taste surprisingly great.
Cons:
Trying to get someone to try them.
Conclusion:
As previously stated, these little appetizers looked fabulous but after reading the recipe I got a little bit nervous. My husband and parents were good sports and tried them…then we devoured the entire plate. They were fantastic.
The sugary strawberries were paired nicely with the balsamic vinegar, tangy goat cheese, and even the basil and ground black pepper. So yes, they are as good as they look and easy to assembly to boot.
Mission: To try out this yummy sounding summer appetizer.
Details:
Baguette
Strawberries
Goat cheese
Basil
Olive Oil
Balsamic
Salt and pepper
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Pre-mix your olive oil and balsamic and just use a spoon to drizzle it over the strawberries on your bread/goat cheese mix.
Pros:
Easy and delicious.
Great way to use in-season fruits and herbs – I picked the basil fresh from my garden!
Awesome combination of savory and sweet.
Cons:
In my opinion, more of a gals-type appetizer. I don’t foresee many of the guys in my friends circle even giving this one a try.
Conclusion:
This appetizer was AMAZING! I was hosting for my book club (consisting of 10 gals) and made this as the appetizer and there were rave reviews! It was an easy one to prep and a delicious one to eat! And, on top of that – it is just beautiful to look at…great colors!
I’m pretty sure everyone at the book club requested this recipe. I will be adding this one to my recipe box
Mission: Find a unique twist on my usual garlic/tomato/basil bruschetta that I love to serve. It’s my “go-to” app.
Details:
I followed the recipe as written. It was super easy to follow and turned out fabulous!
I made the bruschetta again at a later date and forgot to drizzle the bruschetta with balsamic. It was good, but not as full-flavored as the first go-around.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Don’t skip or forget any of the ingredients as I explained above.
It helps to “fan” the strawberry slices on the bread. Helps with the messy eating.
Pros:
Pretty easy. As long as you have access to the ingredients, you’ll be fine. I was in my hometown (a smaller town) and it took a little bit of digging to find goat cheese. It’s Wisconsin… land of cow cheese, I guess.
So, so yummy!! Everyone that I had try it (even the picky eaters) loved it.
It’s also a little unique. People would typically think of a bruschetta to include tomatoes, basil, etc. This is a unique spin on it that is really good!
Cons:
There aren’t many… maybe it can get a little messy? Probably not a passed-type of appetizer.
Also, so good that you can’t stop eating… goat cheese calories galore!!
Conclusion:
Yum. Yum. Yum. I think this is such a great, easy appetizer that is unique and delicious.
Mission: Try out a new twist on my favorite hors d’oeuvre!
Details:
I followed The Curvy Carrot’s recipe to a T! I didn’t forget anything or screw anything up! So proud.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My baguettes were pretty dinky; a little tough to fit the strawberries on. However, they were the perfect size to shove in your mouth. Next time I think I’ll get the standard two-biter size.
I mixed my balsamic vinegar and olive oil together first, then spooned over the strawberry topping. I felt like a genius.
I found that the vinegar made the bruschetta slices a little soggy, so next time, I would either bake the slices to make them crispier, or use a balsamic reduction… leaning towards the reduction option because I LOVE balsamic vinegar!
Lastly, don’t go too thin on the goat cheese. It really adds to the flavor! My mom agreed. In reference to a few that were a little light on the cheese she said, “Well, they’re not knocking my socks off, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t keep shoving them in my face.” Haaha!
Pros:
Totally amazing! Such a unique and yummy combination of flavors.
Easy to make + easy on the eyes!
This recipe is easy enough to make any night of the week, guests or not!
Cons:
None – seriously, these were great.
Conclusion:
They are so pretty and easy to prepare - I cannot wait to make this the next time we have guests! My mom, husband and I couldn’t eat enough of these suckers! We practically licked the plate. I will recommend this tasty dish for years to come.
Mission: To create a drink worth drinking (can you tell I am not big on rum? More of a wine lady here).
Details:
I used Bacardi Rum and felt it was fine. Moderately priced. Really the fruit is the star here anyway.
The strawberries used were actually sliced because we were having company over and I had already done so.
Also, I didn’t use crushed ice but would definitely suggest it. I had to work for these drinks. Trying to crush whole cubes is not ideal so follow the tips from the orginal post.
I had never made simple syrup before but found it to be very easy and worth the effort. It made the drink sweet without being grainy with sugar.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Definitely used a tall glass. I chose a skinny mason jar (it was decorative and pretty – just the way I like things). It was difficult to muddle the ingredients together in such a small glass.
Pros:
This time of year you should be able to get beautiful strawberries with lots of flavor and if you are a gardener fresh mint from a pot outside is a bonus.
Cons:
This drink is a little fussy for me but that is mainly because I prefer to open a bottle and pour – no effort made there!
Conclusion:
This beverage is not only pretty but a nice touch to a dinner party. Really adds visual appeal and the taste was fabulous! It would be perfect for a night of girl talk and appetizers.
I didn’t have a muddler, so I used a flat-end wooden spoon which worked like a charm!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Making simple syrup is super easy – I made mine in the microwave!
Just dump your 1/2 & 1/2 in a microwave safe dish, nuke for a minute or so, and stir gently with a flat bottom whisk until dissolved and let cool!
Neither my mom [my official mojito tasting partner] nor I are fans of super sweet drinks, but after tasting mine, my mom replied with an enthusiastic, “Sure! I’ll have one of those!” I thought that it was pretty sweet but also pretty tasty! I was also happy that I could still taste the rum! I do think that when making these cocktails in the future, I would prefer cutting back on the simple syrup since it got really sweet towards the end of the drink.
Pros:
Although this drink required a few more ingredients than the average cocktail, it was easy to make since all you had to do is mash them together and pour in the booze!
Cons:
I wish I would have known just what size glass or amounts of soda that Kokocooks used, because I don’t like guessing when it’s my first time making something.
Conclusion:
Sweet and delish! If you love fresh strawberries, mint and rum – this is the drink for you! It’s surprisingly easy to make and hits the spot for refreshment. It was over 100 degrees out when we made these cocktails and they delivered!
I think that the Strawberry Mojito would be a great addition to any summer get together, whether it’s a girls night or a block party!
Mission: Make a healthy, delicious dinner for my family.
Details:
Flank steak
Tomatoes
Onions
Basil
Olive Oil
Balsamic
Salt and pepper
Tips & Tricks Learned:
A little side of homemade mashed potatoes and some grilled baguette bread are great additions!
Pros:
Easy preparation!
Looks gourmet and tasted like something you would order at a restaurant.
Cons:
I honestly don’t have any cons for this dish. It was truly great!
Conclusion:
This was such an easy dinner to prepare, it looked gourmet and tasted AMAZING! Plus, the cost for this meal was very doable for our family of four. It was right around $20. And I even got to use some goodies from our vegetable garden, which is a win-win!
I will definitely be making this again – it has been added to the recipe box and my husband enjoyed it I would highly recommend this for anyone!!
Mission: I knew Mike and I would love this meal…grilling is one of our favorite methods of cooking. I must be honest I am not the griller but for this recipe I decided to learn! Since we have an electric grill, it was easy to get fired up and ready for grilling.
Easy enough to get started and very few ingredients equals perfect recipe for me.
Details:
The ingredients, all fresh which is the best way to cook! I have learned its best to have everything you need ready to go for efficiency and to not forget ingredients. It was also time to fire up the grill at this time.
Instead of flank steak, I substituted with a skirt steak. I couldn’t find the flank steak in the beef section. Piercing the steak with the fork was an easy task. I seasoned first and I am thinking you should potentially do the piercing first so the seasoning can seep into the meat.
Next, I headed to the grill. I fear eating meat that is still alive so I was hoping when I took it off it was going to be cooked and not still mooing. Once I took the steak off the grill, the bloody juices ran across my white platter so I made a judgment call to put the steak back on the grill for a few more minutes.
The tomato salsa needs to be made prior to the grilling so you give it time to marinate. It’s simple with just chopping, pouring and mixing.
After letting the steak rest, just dump the salsa on top and viola! Looks tasty and smells great! (Notice, my picture was taken after I started eating…I almost forget to take a picture! It was that good that you would have done the same!)
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Let the meat rest, holds in the juices! Simple and fresh ingredients can make some of the best dishes.
Save one day a week for chopping so when you are rushed for time, you can quickly put together dishes such as this on even the busiest of days. Sundays or Mondays are my chosen days.
Pros:
It was simple to follow and allowed me to learn to grill! I started making the tomato salsa as my lunch salads for the week.
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
I can’t wait to make it again. I love to eat fresh ingrediants and have easy meals to put together. This recipe is for keeps!
Mission: To grill up a delicious and healthy dinner that shouldn’t wipe me out before even getting to eat it!
Details:
I always forget something! This time it was the red onion, so I substituted for some diced shallots that I had in the freezer – they worked perfectly!
Our local butcher was out of flank steak, and we had also planned on halving the recipe – so we used two small tenderloins instead.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
We experienced a torrential down pour with about 5 minutes left to go on the grill! The steaks were way too rare, so I wrapped the plate in foil for the 5 minutes and they turned out perfectly!
The tomato topping is exactly what you would pair with a bruschetta! Since we halved the steak part, and then forgot to halve the tomato part, we ate up the remaining topping on some sliced baguettes – delish!
Pros:
This was a super easy dinner to make – even weeknight worthy!
Cons:
My mom and husband were in LOVE with the tenderloin that we got – my husband almost fell out of his chair when I said that I had only seasoned it with garlic salt, salt & pepper. They both felt like the tomatoes overpowered the flavor of the meat. I however, am not as big of a meat fan as they are and felt like the tomatoes were the perfect match for our steak!
Conclusion:
We really enjoyed this easy meal! My husband and I also really enjoyed the tomatoes on their own, and with a bit of bruschetta! This is great any night of the week, and also for summer, when you can grow the produce right in your garden or pick up at the farmers market!
It was so quick and versatile that I will most definitely put it on our list of recipes to make when we not only have company, but entertain lots of friends!
Mission: To make a delicious dinner while trying to replicate the tasty P.F. Chang’s Mongolian beef.
Details:
Tasty ingredients
Sauté pan
Wok
Oil
Messy kitchen (during the cooking!)
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I replaced cornstarch with flour – at 2 T. flour to 1 T. cornstarch. It worked fairly well, but seemed to be a bit thicker than cornstarch would have been.
In addition, we love sautéed vegetables and I always have fresh veggies on-hand, so we made a mix of bell peppers and radishes as a side to this tasty entre.
Pros:
Easy to make – even for those faint of heart in the kitchen.
Relatively inexpensive for a family of four – cost under $25.00 total.
Cons:
Required a few ingredients that some may not have on hand – i.e. fresh ginger. But, such a key ingredient!
Conclusion:
This dinner turned out fabulous! It was a fairly easy process for preparing and cooking and was easy to pair with sautéed vegetables. My hubby LOVED this dinner. The sauce was spectacular! I’m so excited that we have leftovers! I plan to make this again for sure!!!
Mission: The goal was to test the theory that this dish is a good as the one served at P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef.
Details:
I decided to use pork loin instead of beef (in my kitchen – I am the cook and since I don’t “do” beef no one I am serving does either)
I only used half the amount of oil required to cook the meat (1/2 cup)
I also doubled the sauce recipe in part because I am lazy and I also hate wasting fresh ingredients like ginger and garlic
I did not put the dish in the oven to warm through after adding the sauce and green onions. Instead I warmed the entire dish in the pan I cooked the meat in (I poured out the oil and wiped the pan out first).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It is no joke that the garlic and ginger will burn brown VERY quickly if you don’t have the liquids ready to toss into the pan within seconds of putting the garlic and ginger into the oil. Also, dredge or coat the meat in small portions otherwise all your meat sticks together. Don’t cut the meat too thin either. I started with a serrated knife because I thought my other knives would be too dull. It caused the initial pieces to be far too small.
Pros:
The sauce was really simple and it will be great to have it for yet another meal since I doubled it. The meat got nice and crispy which added dimension to the dish.
Cons:
My children didn’t like it but that isn’t saying much since they are kids after all with unrefined pallets.
Conclusion:
This dish was fairly simple and REALLY delish! I think it could actually be great on chicken and even shrimp.
Mission: I love Beef and PF Chang’s so this was a perfect recipe for me. I try my best to eat Paleo friendly/gluten free when I can so I substituted and changed the recipe to better fit! I found PF Chang’s complimentary recipe for Gluten Free Mongolian Beef so I went for it. Both recipes seemed easy to follow just a few changes to meet my dietary needs.
Details:
Instead of flank steak, I used 12 oz of beef tenderloin, which cut quite nicely and tasted even better.
I browned my meat in sunflower seed oil instead of vegetable oil from original version. Gluten free version called for soy bean oil…which I didn’t have so I used what I had.
I tossed in garlic with the beef then the soy, wine, sugar mixture. Now here is where I may have gone wrong, I assumed rice wine vinegar and not rice wine. I am still not sure if that was a correct assumption.
I also used 2 tbsp. regular sugar instead of brown sugar, I wish I would have eliminated all together.
I used a natural soy sauce alternative instead of regular soy sauce.
The mixture was then reduced and tossed with green onions. Looked delicious but some of the changes must have affected the outcome.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be sure your phone is camera and not record, ha!
Better meat equals a better dish!
Pros:
It was really easy! Simple steps so not many to mess up! It’s my kind of cooking…cut, mix and throw in the pot.
Cons:
Sugar, I wasn’t sure if the gluten version wanted brown sugar or regular sugar, next time I should call PF Changs!
Conclusion:
Overall, the recipe was very tasty, the beef was surprisingly tender. My finance found it was too salty. I think this was because of the soy sauce. I eyeballed it and I think I will measure next time.
We definitely, had different taste buds, I thought it was too sweet, so I would definitely eliminate the sugar next time or I think using a teaspoon of honey would have definitely been better than using sugar.
I will be making this again, it was really easy and fun to make!
Mission: Create a delightful pitcher of sweet, slightly bubbly White Sangria
Details:
I chose two fairly cheap bottles of wine. The Souvingon Blanc was Anekena from Chile and was $10 at my local booz store. For the Vino Verde I chose Gazebo which is perfect at the cheap and cheerful price of $6! I had to use strawberries instead of the same amount of peaches due to the fact that I am partly lazy and partly trapped in my own house more often than not thanks to a traveling hubby and my gaggle of children. The fruit was frozen (minus the kiwis) which added a nice coolness and they held their shape better this way too. I also used honey instead of liquid Stevia. I don’t typically keep sugar substitutes on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I suggest starting with the wine chilled to keep your drink fresh longer. The honey was a great change and a much cheaper option than liquid Stevia.
Pros:
Crisp, fresh and strong. Just the way I like my Sangria!
Cons:
None here. This drink was everything it promised to be.
Conclusion:
I plan to make this pitcher of deliciousness several times this summer. I have a large pot of mint flourishing on my deck and it will be put to good use. Now if only I could grow grapes and start a vinyard….
I halved this recipe, but then forgot and added the full amount of raspberries. Oops.
I didn’t use Stevia… I forgot to pick it up at the store. Another Ooops.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
We first taste tested the sangria after it had only been melding for about 2 hours. At this point it was extremely minty! Then we had our second glasses at about 3 hours and the peaches and raspberries were much more prevalent and the mint more muted. We loved it both times!
Pros:
Easy, delicious and totally refreshing! I especially enjoyed noshing on the boozy fruit after the sangria itself was gone!
Cons:
I halved the recipe! I wanted more!
Conclusion:
This simple sangria was crisp and refreshing as promised! I will definitely make it again!
Mission: I love Chili’s Salsa! These instructions were super easy to follow. I feel confident that even “College Maren” could have handled this recipe! I did refer to the forwarding blog, Six Sisters’ Stuff, for more specific info on the jalapeno situation.
Details:
I wasn’t paying attention to the recipe and did not drain the tomatoes – ooops! I think that this actually made the consistency looser though, which is what I was hoping for. For my jalapenos, I used a full [4 oz] can of Ortega Japapenos, lightly drained.
The lime juice that I added was frozen ahead of time thanks to a pin that I saw on Pinterest! That trick is great if you like to cook with lime juice, or add it to your drinks! I actually used onion that I had chopped and froze a week or two earlier too. I’m just discovering the miracle of “freezing.”
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The most important lesson learned from this experience, the ingredients absolutely DO NOT FIT into a Cuisinart Mini Prep. I was too lazy to get out my full sized Cuisinart, and that was clearly the incorrect choice.
After my salsa explosion, I scooped out [and off the counter] half of the overflowing salsa and continued in half batches until I got a smooth, pureed consistency. I then reflected upon how things would have gone differently had I just gotten out the G. D. Cuisinart.
Pros:
SUPER Easy and delicious! Had some serious kick, but wasn’t too hot. Works well in recipes and on it’s own.
Cons:
Requires a blender or food processor, both of which are heavy and in hard-to-get-at locations in my kitchen and therefore never get used.
Conclusion:
This salsa was ridiculously easy to make! I fed it to my salsa-loving husband and he said, “It tastes like chili. It’s good.” Translation, “I taste the cumin. I like it.”
Don’t be scared by his comment! We partake in a chili cook-off with our college friends each fall. In an overly competitive panic to submit the BEST chili, it is not uncommon for me to make several different kinds in the month preceding the event and feed them to my husband until he can hardly stand hearing the word “chili.” Therefore, as we approach our fourth year, my husband has eaten more cumin…I mean chili, than the average Joe. I didn’t think that it was overly cumin-y at all.
Since it’s just my honey and me in our home, I froze half of the salsa for another day! Thawed it out and used it to make some chicken – it was great! I also like knowing that there isn’t any weird shit in it that I don’t know about. Love this salsa!
Mission: I’ve spent many wonderful evenings catching up with girlfriends over a bowl of chips, Chili’s Salsa, and iced-cold Coronas. Now we all have kids and our get togethers are rare occasions. How great would it be to invite the girls over for some Copycat Chili’s salsa and chat time?
I referred to the Six Sisters’ Stuff blog for a copycat recipe, and it looked surprisingly easy.
Details:
I was at first a little saddened that there would be very limited chopping or dicing, and no fresh ingredients, but then again the recipe was SUPER easy and I had an entire batch of salsa done and to the table in five minutes. You literally just put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and press the button. It’s ridiculously simple.
I chose to use the blender because my food processor is too small. I tossed in the whole tomatoes, canned jalapenos, and onion. I added the salt, sugar, cumin, and lime juice then just hit the button briefly. DONE.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
1.)Wash your hands immediately after touching jalapenos. Do. Not. Touch. Your. Eyes!
2.) A blender might not be the right choice. Complete puree. You would have thought I used tomato sauce instead of whole tomatoes.
Pros:
This can be put together so fast! So, so fast. You can have this all done and cleaned up in a matter of ten minutes. The flavor is pretty darn close to Chili’s salsa.
Cons:
It is definitely on the soupy puree side, and I prefer a chunky salsa. I don’t recall Chili’s salsa being so soup like.
Conclusion:
If you can use a can-opener and press a button YOU can make this salsa. I personally thought there was a little more cumin than I remember Chili’s salsa tasting like. I would adjust that a bit next time. I also don’t remember Chili’s salsa being so soupy, but that was most likely my mistake for using the blender. I’ll just have to add some ice and vodka and have a spicy bloody mary instead.
Mission: To enjoy a homemade cookie without all the mess of making a batch.
We enjoyed the process of making this chocolate chip cookie – it was quick, easy, low-mess and in the end, tasted pretty darn good! It was definitely decadent and more of a desert than I needed, but both my kiddo and I enjoyed the end result. I added sea salt to the top of mine before cooking to add some savory taste to it.
Details:
Ingredients
Coffee Mug
Spoon
Kids
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Anyone can do this!
Pros:
A quick and easy desert option that everyone can enjoy.
Cons:
A little bit much in regards to taste and in my opinion, not as good as a “real” homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies. More on the “doughy” texture for those of you that like crunchy/crispy cookies.
Conclusion:
We really enjoyed making these – so quick and easy. And, we enjoyed eating them just as much! They finished our evening off wonderfully.
I felt very proud of myself on this recipe, as for once, I didn’t screw anything up!
Pros:
Super easy and quick!
Cons:
REALLY filling…even for me!
Conclusion:
My husband’s quote, “Real cookies are better, but… it’s pretty good.”
My thoughts, “Really rich and decadent. More of a cakey, chewy, texture.”
Perhaps it is the full egg yolk in each cookie, but this recipe is extremely filling, almost to the point of sickening if consumed entirely. It’s a lot like a dessert that you would get at a restaurant; which is why I also feel that it is best enjoyed with a scoop of ice cream…and chocolate syrup.
Mission: As a single lady living alone, find an easy and yummy single-serving treat. (I just hate having to eat an entire batch of cookies myself… Ok, I love it!! But anyway.)
Details:
Followed the instructions as written. With recipes, I usually alter them a little bit, but I wanted to see if these were for real.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Don’t use whole wheat flour. I tried it the next night just to see if I could go a little healthier and it was gritty and not so fantastic. Also, be careful with the coffee cup after it’s done cooking! That cup gets mighty hot!
Pros:
Easy, quick, and tasty! Immediate gratification is the best. And it filled my sweet craving for the night.
It’s also so great for one or two people in the home. Or, perfect for someone without a ton of time.
Cons:
Ok, so it’s not as good as the real thing. But still did the trick. And maybe not the healthiest treat.
Conclusion:
I probably won’t make them on a super regular basis but I definitely see myself making it on a cozy evening when I need a little comfort-style dessert for one!
Join us tomorrow evening for a review that will have you hustling your buns to the hardware store in time for a little Mom's Day delight!about 1 week agofrom Facebook
Reviewer #1 – Maren
These cookies are pretty darn easy to make! The dough was super sticky though, even after refrigerating them. In order to squish them before putting them in the oven, I dipped the bottom of my glass in flour.
Reviewer #2 – Amanda
Reviewer #3 – Alicia
Reviewer #4 – Sarah
Reviewer #1 - 
would be perfect for this project.
and the neon food coloring easier than I expected and of course found them both at my second home, good ol’ 
after the customer reviews convinced me that I would be noshing on fancy desserts and sipping pinky-up French beverages if I did. I’ll let you know how that goes.
If you don’t have one, you need one.
and now I can’t imagine not eating it. Yum!
because we have a chocolate addiction in this house. Not necessary, but a major perk as it added to the chocolate flavor of our cocoa.
was perfect for this task!
to mine for added kick!
which I don’t think I would ever use again; I instead opted for a 9in baking dish.
is supposed to help but again if you are like me and too cheap to do so… simply toss a piece of bread in with your hard brown sugar and viola…2 days later the sugar will be moist again!
So easy to get it all mixed in this way with a lot less effort.
So I dumped it into the metal bowl and within a few seconds it was mixed perfectly. Sometimes I am pretty wise.
which I LOVE! I would just like to see the difference in texture.
for this recipe! Ok, I have to admit…I personally haven’t used it for its food processing capabilities, not even for this project. I had my friend, Heather, over for dinner and she used her amazing chef skills to puree!
so I kept the soup “chunky” in style vs. blending it smooth. I love soup with texture, so I was totally fine with that, but my only complaint is that the Greek yogurt did not ever really fully melt/smooth into the soup.
which is perfect for my new favorite water!
I live in the produce aisle when I go grocery shopping…seriously, I’m not just a fruitcake in personality, I’m literally a walking fruit – I LOVE to eat fruit!!
My most recommended trick for any crock pot recipe is to first spray the crock with 
. Makes clean-up a breeze. Those liners gross me out because they look like shower caps.
) lined pan on broil for about 10 minutes or so. This created a nice crust and seemed to secure the sauce to the meat a little better. Downside it also dried my meat out a bit. Bummer.
absolutely rocked on this recipe for both cake and icing!
solely because I love him… and the packaging was cooler.
