Go To Meal...

Food is always on my mind. So naturally, I should blog about it.

If I'm not making a meal for someone I'm thinking about the next meal, adding to my grocery list, staying within a decent budget, not buying more than we need, what's for Sunday treat, after school snacks, meals for Evyn, food storage....it's never ending!

And even with all the meal planning it can get a little overwhelming! Which is why a good "go to meal" is essential! We all have our favorites and it changes month to month but always having the ingredients for that one meal you know everyone will eat and enjoy is a life savor! Especially when it involves my crockpot!

Our go to meal as of late is Cafe Rio Salad. Cafe Rio reminds me of Arizona. Reminds me of Book Club...visious circle! There are many versions on the internet but I got mine here a while ago and I love it. Once I made it I never searched for a new way to make it.

My girls aren't crazy about the dressing so when I make their plates I just do a cheese crisp and serve the rice, beans, and chicken on the side.

And this is one the few meals that we actually eat the leftovers! Everything just goes in individual containers and we are good to go!

Café Rio Chicken
5 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 sm bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken. Keep warm.

Café Rio Lime Cilantro Rice
(Double this for large crowd)

2 Tb. Butter
pepper to taste
1 ¼ rice
juice and zest 1 large or 2 small limes
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cumin

In a skillet melt butter with rice, add liquid, and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 C buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t lime juice
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed.

Blend all together in a blender or food processor and store in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.

For salads serve in the following order:
tortillas (I warm mine in foil pans like cafe rio in the oven with cheese)
cheese
black or pinto beans
lime rice
shredded chicken or pork
red and green leaf lettuce, shredded
sprinkle crunch corn strips on top
grated Parmesan cheese


{Don't forget about my Valentine Banner Giveaway 2 post below! It ends tonight and I will announce the winner tomorrow!}

Make this tonight...

Found it on Pinterest. Came from this girl. The whole family loved it. Made bread and a salad. Seriously. It's GOOD!

Make it. Tonight.

Lasagna Soup

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage......I used ground meat
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes.......I used stewed tomatoes because it's what I had on hand.
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock......the pasta sucks up a lot of the liquid so I ended up adding 2 more cans of chicken broth AFTER the noodles were done.
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta.....these noodles are SO CUTE. Evyn loved them!
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese for the top.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle, ladle the hot soup over the cheese, and then sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top.

Servings: 8

Sweet Recipes.

Don't blame me when you makes these 2 recipes and go back for seconds and thirds and then feel sick afterwards. I'm just the messenger. I will tell you that both are AMAZING warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars:

For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla OR – I used Princess Cake Emulsion..it added an almondy/citrus flavor. If you haven’t ever used emulsions before you need to give them a try. They’re AWESOME!
4 cups AP flour
For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
1/3 cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
Preheat to 325F.
Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling in the refrigerator, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.

Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool before cutting into squares. (We didn't and they were amazing!)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake:


*Makes an 8X8-inch pan

1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Whisk ½ cup sugar with ¼ cup cocoa powder and set aside.

Whisk the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips (the batter will be stiff).

Using a rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into corners. Sprinkle reserved cocoa and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Gently pour boiling water over cocoa. Do not stir.

Bake until the top of the cake is cracked, sauce is bubbling and a toothpick inserted into cakey area comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 22-24 minutes. Cool on rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

{Click the links to see pictures: I am no food photographer. Better said, my kitchen has no natural light to allow me to be a food photographer}

Don't forget about the Halloween Banner Giveaway BELOW!

Happy Accident

In the last 2 weeks I have made 3 new desserts. And all 3 had 2 things in common. Peanut Butter and Chocolate. I didn't hear anyone complain. My only suggestion is if and when you make these desserts you have plans to give at least half of it away. I strategically made these when 1. we were feeding the missionaries and 2. when I brought dinner to a family in our ward who had just brought a new baby home.

First up: Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie.

Holy Moly. This puppy was delish!! And simple. And delish. Who knew that when condensed milk freezes it taste just like ice-cream.

1 box Oreo Cookies
6 tbsp melted butter
2 cups cold heavy cream
1 (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bottle Smucker’s Chocolate Fudge Microwave Topping
Finely crush about 25 Oreos in a food processor. Mix with melted butter and spread in the bottom of a 9″ round pan for the crust. Freeze for about 10 mins. Meanwhile, lightly crush the remaining Oreos into large pieces. Whisk sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla in large bowl and set aside. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Pour half of the peanut butter ice cream mixture on top of the frozen Oreo crust. Heat Chocolate Fudge according to the directions on the bottle, and pour half of the bottle in a layer over the ice cream. Add the remaining ice cream, hot fudge, and top with the Oreo cookie pieces. Freeze for at least 6-8 hours before serving. Serve with a scoop of whipped cream!


#2: Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

8 tablespoons of salted butter, melted and cooled

6 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add butter and peanut butter to a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 second increments until melted. Let cool completely.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the cooled butter/peanut butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to bring it all together. If necessary, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk, but I did not need this. Fold in chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into a ball the size of a golfball. Place on a baking sheet two inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Do not over bake. Let cool completely then dig in!

And #3: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup peanut butter chips

directions:
Preheat oven to 325.

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.

Fold in peanut butter chips. Spread dough in a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Other sizes will work as well - they will just determine the thickness and cooking length of the bars.

Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. If bars are not done (due to using a different sized dish), bake for 5-6 minute increments. Let cool completely before slicing.

Happy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Day to you! Your Welcome!

Weekend Food.

How come the week goes by fast but then the weekend goes by faster? Weird. Wasn't I just posting about how much fun it was to make grilled pizzas last weekend....

Well this weekend was 2 for 2 too. Both from Our Best Bites. Shocked?

Saturday I made these Cowboy Quesadillas. Yum. I wasn't sure I would like the flavors of barbeque sauce in a tortilla but it was good. Try it. Tonight.

Cowboy Quesadillas
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 C white rice
1/3 C black beans
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 C fresh frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
2/3 C diced tomato
3 Tbs sliced green onion
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)
1/4 C bbq sauce
6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6″)

Dipping Sauce
equal parts bbq sauce and ranch dressing

Combine rice, beans, chicken, corn, tomato, green onion and shredded cheese. Add bbq sauce and stir to combine. Place about 1/3 C of mixture on half of each tortilla and fold over to close.

Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stove top. When hot, spray lightly with cooking spray, or drizzle with canola or olive oil. Place quesadillas in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Flip and repeat on opposite side. Cool for a few minutes and then serve with BBQ-Ranch dipping sauce.



We always bake a treat on Sundays. I'm sure you all do because there is something about being home, in my pajamas, that requires me to bake a treat. I usually tell the girls that if they take a good nap they can help me in the kitchen. And it usually works wonders.

We tried these peanut butter and chocolate bars. I may or may not of had one with ice-cream for treat, one or two for dinner Sunday night, and then again for lunch today. Maybe. Hello. It has oatmeal in it. I could have easily had one for breakfast. The only thing I would have changed was I would have halved the icing. It kinda overpowered the cookie in the middle of the pan. But really that isn't such a bad thing!

Chocolate-Frosted Peanut Butter Bars


Cookie Base
1 cup real butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons table salt
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups quick oats

Fudge Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet (standard half-sheet pan) lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.

Cream butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time and beat between each addition. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and add mixture to dough. Beat to combine. Add oats and mix until incorporated. Press dough into prepared pan into a flat layer. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. The center should be puffed and set, but still soft.

While crust is baking, prepare frosting. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter (make sure it’s soft!), boiling water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and glossy.

When cookie crust is done baking, if desired drizzle about 3/4 cups melted (just nuke it in the microwave) peanut butter on top and then spread on frosting. Let cool (or leave slightly warm) and cut into squares to serve.

Weekend Food.

It's been so much easier to try new recipes now that I have them written out and available when I make my menu. I tried 2 new recipes this weekend and I was so happy that both came out great!!

Recipe #1:
When we lived in Arizona we had Barro's. Oh Barro's, how I love you and miss you. We had Barro's at least once a week. Met friends there on weekends and had playdates during the week there. To say a pizza joint was a huge part of our lives seems silly....but it was!

I never really had the desire to make my own pizzas because of Barro's but had a few go to recipes when we didn't want to spend the money on eating out. Like this deep dish pizza and this chicken and spinach pizza. And those chicken-bacon stuffed pizza rolls that I blogged about a week or so ago. Yum. But for the most part, I left the pizza making up to Barro himself.

And then we moved. Doesn't everything come back to moving? There is no Barro's in Texas. WHAT!?!? Didn't they hear we were moving to Texas? Apparently we are little people to Barro's.

So the other day I was browsing Our Best Bites and I came across a recipe on how to grill pizza....I have used their pizza dough recipe before to make breadsticks and the pizza pockets so I knew this was a winner. And indeed it was. I only had cheese so we did cheese pizzas but according to OBB it's best to limit your toppings so you can really taste the flavor of the grill. They were so good! The only down side I saw to grilling my own pizzas was 1- I didn't have a big enough spatula so my pizzas turned into mini pizzas and 2- these are best when right off the grill so we didn't eat as a family. Which for a friday night wasn't a huge deal breaker for me. But other than that I'm definitely adding these to my regular meal plan! There is something so satisfying about making my own bread...I just love it! Our Best Bites has a great step by step on how to grill your pizza dough so I won't post any more other than a picture of one of my lovely pizzas!


Recipe #2:
We had the missionaries over for dessert last night. Christopher is the ward mission leader so we see them on a pretty regular basis. They stop in from time to time to let Chris know what they are up to and usually end up taking leftovers home with them if we don't have them over for dinner. 2 of our missionaries are going home on Tuesday so we invited them over for dessert for a last goodbye. I had found this recipe for oreo cheesecake (yes please) and knew this would be the perfect time to try it out. Besides, the missionaries will never tell me something isn't good! But really you can't go wrong with Oreos. Have I mentioned our obsession with the Double Stuffed Oreo Blast at Sonic?

Have you ever been to Mel's Kitchen? If you haven't you should head over there. Besides Our Best Bites, it's my go to blog for new recipes and tutorials. She made this oreo cheesecake for her book club (moment of silence for my book club in Az.). That has nothing to do with the recipe other than she has a book club....and I love my book club...and I get sick to my stomach every time they meet without me..and i don't have one now....see...everything does go back to moving.

Oreo Cheesecake:

36 Oreo Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
4 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 ounces white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Finely crush 24 Oreo cookies. Melt 1/4 cup butter; mix with crumbs. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each just until blended. Chop remaining cookies. Gently stir into batter; pour over crust.

Bake the cheesecake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sides are set and the center is almost set. Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan.

When the cheesecake is completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When chilled, remove the cheesecake using the foil overhang and cut the cheesecake into bite-sized pieces. Place the cheesecake bites on a wax or parchment paper-lined baking tray. Melt the semisweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate bowls (I use the microwave on 50% power, stirring frequently). Pour the melted chocolate into a ziploc bag, one for the semisweet chocolate, one for the white chocolate. Snip a small corner off the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cheesecake bars. Chill the bars until ready to serve. Alternately, the drizzled bites can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Let them defrost in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

So there you go. 2 thumbs up for new recipes!

Summer List: Make Slime

We are getting closer and closer to checking most everything off of our summer list. Elodie has 2 full weeks left of summer so I'm hoping we can get through them all. Most of them anyway- we had to tweak them as we went along! Like it is way too hot to go to Sea World right now!

This was a really fun activity and the girls had so much fun watching the slime take form right in front of them! It took us one practice run before we got the slime just right. If you don't add enough borax it's too runny but if you add too much it becomes like a ball, too stiff to be considered slime.

We had fun making a lot of different colors. When we were done playing with it we stored it in ziplocs for another day.

Sidenote: *I got the idea from here. *She includes a you tube video that helps visualize it. *This is definitely an outdoor activity. I didn't trust my girls to not let some of it fall on the floor and I really don't want to google "how to get slime out of my carpet"! *And we didn't do the glow in the dark part. *You will have borax for the rest of your life.

You will need:
Borax Laudry Detergent
Elmer's Glue
Food Coloring
Water
An empty plastic container (mill jug, coke bottle)
plastic cups
popsicle sticks

*Take your empty container and mix borax and water together. Shake well for 10 minutes. The girls loved this part. As long as the lid was screwed on tight! You don't need much so don't fill it. There is no clear measurement on how much you need, atleast I didn't research it, so I just eyeballed it. As long as you don't really dillute the detergent you should be fine. Start by placing equal parts glue and water in 2 cups. Example: we did 1/4 cup glue in one cup, a 1/4 cup water in another. Combine the water and glue in one cup. Mix well with your popsicle stick. Add your food coloring. Now take your borax solution and slowly pour it into your water and glue mixture. SLOWLY! If you add to much you might as well start over. Continue to stir and pour until all the liqued turns into slime. Once your happy with it, rinse it off and enjoy! We made purple, pink, yellow, and green. *

New Recipe

I recently sat down and wrote down every meal that my family eats on a regular basis. I even categorized them. Italian, Mexican, Salads, Soups, Crockpot, etc. I've been wanting to come up with a bi-weekly menu to help minimize my trips to Wal-Mart. Having this list handy has helped me limit the amount of times I go "I'm not sure what to make this week (tonight)" or have the feeling I'm making the same thing over and over again. Already it has helped. I also made a list of recipes I'm wanting to try. When I'm browsing the web I usually just send the recipe to my inbox but never print it out. Then when I'm at Wal-mart for my weekly shopping trip I don't even think about trying a new recipe. If I have it written down I'm more likely to try new recipes. And this recipe has been on my list for a while. And bonus! I didn't even have to add anything to my list to make it! I already had all of the ingredients! And making my own bread made me feel so Martha Stewart-ish. It was even fun!

No surprise....Another fabulous recipe from Our Best Bites. And bonus! They are doing an AMAZING giveaway over on their blog! This recipe will definitely get moved from the "to make" list to the "what my family eats" list.

Chicken- Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
sharp cheddar cheese (I used 75% sharp cheddar and 25% mozzarella)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
about 1 C shredded, cooked chicken.
3/4 C mayo
3/4 C milk

First take 1 teaspoon of your ranch dressing mix and combine it with 1 1/2 T parmesan cheese. Set aside. Combine the remaining ranch mix with 3/4 C mayo and 3/4 C milk and place in the fridge to chill.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it’s 400-425 degrees.

Click HERE for the homemade recipe I used for my bread. Or you could just use store bought pizza dough.

Pat or roll the dough so it’s about 12″ by 8″. You’re going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square.
When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings.
Grab the four corners first and then squeeze the seams shut. Then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish). Brush with melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle with the parmesan-ranch mixture.

Place each roll in a muffin tin until it's filled up. And/or use a cake pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce, ranch dressing.

I paired it with a salad and it was a perfect meal for our family. Next time I'll have to try something else in the middle! I love that they are so versatile!

New Summer Salad Favorite

During the summer I'm always looking for a new salad to add to our menu. I especially like a salad that can be made with everything I already have! This one is a winner! It's very similar to the Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad that I love. In fact I used the same salad dressing even though the recipe called for a different one. I never add the poppyseeds though-not a fan!

The girls aren't crazy about the dressing so when I make either salad I serve them everything from the salad just without the dressing.

Strawberry Salad

Original Recipe and picture: HERE

Toss Together:
Chopped Romaine Lettuce
Sliced strawberries
Sliced green onions
Candied Pecans (Her recipe called for slivered almonds but if you love pecans....) (Easy: 1/4 cup brown sugar, a 1/4 cup butter. Melt together on the stove. Add about a cup,or more, of pecans. Toss together until hot-careful not to burn! Place a piece of tin foil on your counter and spread pecans out. Let them sit until cooled.)
Cooked and chopped bacon
A couple of spoonfuls of crumbled feta cheese
{The great thing about salads is there is no exact measurements. Add as little or as much as you like!!}

Dressing:
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
a few shakes of pepper
3/4 cups sugar
1 green onion minus the white part
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Blend together. Store leftovers in a jar for up to 2 weeks.

Add dressing just before serving!

Happy Summer!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

A blogger friend of mine made up this recipe and submitted it for a challenge that Paula Deen was hosting. Lucky her she made the finals and is being flown to Georgia to meet Paula herself! Amazing.

I tried out her recipe a few days ago and gave them as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. They were a huge hit at our house. Dangerous little devils but fun for every once in a while. My only tip that Amy didn't include is that I refrigerated mine after I made them. It allowed the cookie to harden and stick together better.

Don't hate me for passing these on. They are too good not to share!

4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Softened
4 tbsp. of Butter, Softened
1 tsp. of Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1 (18.25 oz) Chocolate Cake Mix
1/4 cup(s) of All Purpose Flour
4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Softened
3/4 cup(s) of Cream Peanut Butter
1 tsp. of Pure Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 cup(s) of Powdered Sugar
3 tbsp. of Milk
12 Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Chopped

Steps
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cream together 4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese and 4 TBSP butter in a stand mixer or large bowl.
Mix in 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Combine in your eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
Add in your chocolate cake mix and combine well.
Add in flour and mix until well incorporated.
Place 1 inch balls onto a cookie sheet, keeping cookies about 2 inches apart.
You should end up with about 40 cookies total, making 20 sandwich cookies.
Bake for 6-8 minutes or until center of the cookie is set.
Remove cookies from the oven and cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING
Cream together 4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese and peanut butter in a stand mixer or large bowl.
Mix in 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Slowly incorporate all of the powdered sugar. Mix until well combined
Thin out frosting using some or all of the milk.
Frost the bottom of 20 cookies.
Sprinkle some chopped peanut butter cups on each of the frosted cookies.
Top each frosted cookie with a non-frosted cookie, making a sandwich.
Make sure that the tops of your cookies are facing out.
Store in an airtight container.

Another "Just in time for Summer" Recipe

I plan to make these again...and again...and again...we LOVED them! Paired with Lime and Cilantro rice....very yummy! But then again, I wouldn't post it if it wasn't!

Bacon Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
About 8 oz. lean bacon, NOT thick-sliced (thick bacon is too hard to work with in this recipe)
1 large can pineapple chunks (you won't use all of them)
Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze
Kebab skewers

-Cut bacon slab into thirds.
-Drain the pineapple
-Cut chicken into bite sized pieces
-Wrap bacon around chicken pieces and alternate between bacon wrapped chicken and pineapple on a kebab.

When all chicken pieces have been sufficiently staked, pour Teriyaki sauce over everything, reserving about 1/4 c., and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, no longer than about 8.

Preheat grill**; when about 350-400 degrees, place skewers on grill and baste with reserved Teriyaki sauce. Cook about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again and cook another 7 minutes. You really have to watch the grill because the grease from the bacon will cause the fire to grow larger. Then your bacon will burn. I found it best to leave my grill lid open the whole time.

Lime Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

Like I said, you really can just make this to taste, but here’s the basics.

1 cup dry white rice, cooked in 2 C water.
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime, or two smaller ones (taste as you go, I add a lot!)
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained. (You may want 2 small cans)
½ - ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Just in time for summer...

I'm pretty much on an unintentional mission to try every recipe on the Our Best Bites website. It's going pretty well for me so far! The other night I tried this salad and it.was.AWESOME! Seriously. I'll definitely be adding it to our summer menu! Even the girls liked it! BONUS! On top of that...because it has bacon in it, it stands alone! I didn't grill any chicken or anything! Just popped some french bread in the over and DONE! And in case your interested on how I serve my french bread. Cut it open, slather with butter, garlic powder, and load it up with freshly shredded mozzerella cheese. Wrap it aluminum foil and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. What you get is ooey, not good for you, goodness!

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad
Recipe from Our Best Bites

8 oz. (1/2 bag) of baby spinach
1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
1 large avocado, cubed
8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded
1 12-oz. package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained
Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste
Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, just let your eaters dress their own salads because the dressing will make the greens wilt.

Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Our Best Bites

1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the "hairy" end and where the green part starts to get floppy)
1/2 c. vegetable oil

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

Weekend Food.

I tried 2 new recipes this weekend....both I'll definitely be making again! Both recipes come from my favorite site Our Best Bites

Love that site....

Recipe #1:
Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad (This recipe was enough to feed me and Chris twice!) It reminded me a lot of the Southwestern Chicken Salad at AppleBee's.

SALAD:
4 c. chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 c. chopped grilled chicken (you could use Taco Chicken if you want)
1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, washed
1/3 c. vertically-sliced red onions
1 avocado, cubed
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 3/4 oz. can corn, rinsed and drained Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

DRESSING:

DRESSING:
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c. light sour cream
1 1/2 + tsp. adobo sauce from canned chipotle chilies
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. salt

Tortilla Strips

Make sure all salad ingredients that need to be washed or rinsed have been. Combine lettuce, chicken, beans, corn, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl and gently mix with your hands. Set aside.

Mix dressing ingredients. I say to start with 1 1/2 tsp. of adobo sauce and then go from there, probably 1/4-1/2 tsp. at a time. If you're serving this for a crowd, it's probably better to err on the side of not spicy enough rather than too spicy, but if you're just making it for your family and you have taste buds of steel, have at it. You could even chop up one of the chilies and toss it in there if you're feeling super-brave. Then taste the dressing and you'll know what heaven tastes like. Set dressing aside.

If you're making tortilla strips, fry those puppies up now. I didn't make them here because I'm trying my darndest not to be naughty nutritionally, but if I make this salad for some kind of festivity, I always make the tortilla strips. Allow them to cool.

When you're ready to serve, add avocado, tortilla strips, and dressing. Gently combine with your hands and serve.

The next recipe I tried was a real winner. I made it specifically for Christopher. He loves chocolate, he loves toffee, and he did me a huge favor and hung 10 pictures in a collage format for me. I owed him big time. Pictures to come of my amazing photo collage! It definitely won him over and I will for sure be making this again the next time I need to butter him up! ;) We ended up sharing the cake with our neighbors and it was a good thing we did. It needed to be out of our house quickly! So my suggestion. Make it for company! Or with the intention of bringing half to your neighbor! Also, this cake was much better next day. It's suppose to sit in your fridge until you are ready to serve but next time I will for sure let it sit overnight. It just gave the mousse a chance to firm up and the ganache on the outside a chance to harden. Mostly, I just love to use the words mousse and ganache! ENJOY!

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 package Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake
1 recipe (give or take a little) Chocolate Ganache
Crushed Heath bars or a bag of chocolate-covered Heath bits
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. boiling water (just heat it in a small bowl in your microwave)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake cake according to cake mix instructions in 2 8" round pans. Allow to cool and set aside. This can be done several days in advance; just freeze the cakes when you're done.

In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand for about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare ganache...
8 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate
8 oz. heavy cream
Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2 minutes and stir. Heat for an additional 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is fully melted and can be whisked and incorporated into the cream. Be sure and scrape the sides and bottom to make sure you don't find any globby bits of chocolate when you start working with it.
The ganache will thicken as it cools, so if it's a little too thin for you, hang tight and it will be ready pretty quickly. Use it immediately to pour over the top of your cake. When it's completely cool, it will be thick and fudgy and can be used like frosting. Store in an airtight container. You can reheat it to achieve your desired consistency.

With a serrated knife, carefully slice the dome-iest part of each cake layer off so the layers are level. Place one layer on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Sprinkle with Heath bits.
Place second layer on top of Heath bits.
Spoon ganache over the top layer, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with additional Heath bits.
and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture courtesy of our best bites.

2 New Recipes

Last week I made 2 new recipes...2 days in a row! I always get so excited to try something new and it really puts me in a good mood! I should probably do it more often!

Wednesday night I made Baked Chicken Penne. I got the recipe from one of my favorite sites- Our Best Bites. It worked out perfectly because the recipe is enough to make one to eat now and a freezer meal for later. I had just found out that Chris' cousin had given birth and immediately knew that instead of freezing the second meal, I was going to give it to her. So, with that being said. This meal works awesome as a give away meal or you can freeze it for another day. The bonus is you don't feel like you are working harder for two meals! And there was plenty!

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne
based on a recipe by Martha Stewart


6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone* (6 ounces) you could also make that 1/2 mozzarella
1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)
*Note on Cheese:
Sometimes provolone cheese can be hard to find. I don't always encourage the use of pre-shredded bagged cheeses (because 've found they usually contain additives and therefore don't melt or taste as good), but in this recipe I've used a *good* quality one, like Sargento, and it's turned out great. Actually in this batch I used Sargento's Provolone/Mozzarella mix. You'll find that with packaged cheese mixes, provolone is often mixed with other white cheeses and that's totally fine. Just try to find one that is mostly provolone, like a 50/50 mix. The other easy option is to go to the deli department where you can buy sliced cheese. Just ask for a 6 oz chunk and you can grate it yourself.


Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you're going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot (I just use the pot I cooked my pasta in), melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes. If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie. If cooking, sprinkle on top.
Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool. Cover pan well with plastic wrap. Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, preheat oven to 400. Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside. Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.

And THEN, on Thursday night, I made Deep Dish Pizza. I got the recipe from my blog friend Amy over at My Name Is Snickerdoodle. Every Friday she post a new recipe. I had some mushrooms leftover from the chicken and penne so I decided on a supreme style pizza. I don't do pepperoni, like the original recipe calls for so we had canadian bacon, sausage, mushrooms, and green bell peppers. Next time I think I might try ham and pineapple. This recipe was a little time consuming because you make your own dough. That means you have to plan ahead and start the dough around 1pm. This isn't a meal you can decide on at 4:30pm. I had never made my own pizza dough before but it was really easy and I probably won't buy canned pizza dough anymore! Be careful once it's in the oven though- I got distracted talking to a neighbor friend and my crust came out a little crispy! I served it with a garden salad and everyone loved it!

Deep Dish Pizza
Crust
1 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast
1 TBSP sugar
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp cream of tartar
3-4 cups flour

The Rest
1 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce
8-12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
pepperoni
2 Italian sausage links, uncooked
green peppers
sliced olives
sliced mushrooms

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and warm water. Sprinkle yeast on top and gently stir with finger. Cover with a towel and let proof for about 5-7 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly at that time. In a medium bowl mix together oil, cream of tartar and yeast mixture. Add in 3 cups of flour and add more from there if needed. Dough should be firm, but slightly sticky. Knead it for about 10 minutes, adding a bit more flour is needed. Roll into a ball. Pour about 2 tsp of oil in a large bowl and roll dough around until coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and then a towel. Place in a warm place and let rise for about 2-3 hours. You can also let it sit out overnight on the kitchen counter. Roll out large enough to fit into a 10 or 12 inch cake pan or stone that has sides. Coat the pan with lots of melted butter, the bottom and sides. Place dough in pan and pinch the dough up the sides.

Now go with me on this one...it seemed totally backwards to me, but makes for the best pizza! Place half of your shredded cheese on the bottom of the crust. Place your pepperoni around and then pinch small little pieces of uncooked sausage around. Add other desired toppings, but I am telling you, I think it's the uncooked sausage that makes this the best. Pour about half of the sauce (about 3/4 cup) over the toppings. Add more if you like it saucy. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 35 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Place back in oven and cook until cheese is melted and crust and cheese is slighly golden brown. About 45-50 minutes total cooking time. (Sausage will be completely cooked by this time.) I let mine sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

*For better cheesy results, buy a block of mozzarella and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has additives and coatings that help it not stick together in the bag and it doesn't melt the best

You'll never want Olive Garden again...trust me!

Man, I am totally just scoring with all these new recipes I've been trying. Not one has been a bust so far!!! Makes me so happy to be in the kitchen!

Last night I tried a Fettucini Alfredo recipe and it was to die for!! Amazing! Seriously!

I had all of the ingredients on hand and nothing was too complicated- christopher commented that it looked like I was on the Food Network-I took that as a really nice compliment!

Definitely another winner in our house! Make this tonight-have I ever steered you wrong?

Perfect, Creamy, Fettuccine Alfredo:


1 pound boneless chicken breast
1 egg beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
t teaspoon steak seasoning

Pound out your chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper
Mix eggs, garlic powder, lemon juice, and milk together and let sit for 10 minutes
Add chicken and let marinate for 20 minutes- you can also do this step in the morning, put everything in a ziploc and let it marinate for a couple of hours in your fridge.

After marinating mix together- flour, bread crumbs, salt, baking powder, and steak seasoning.
Remove chicken from milk mixture and coat with in flour mixture.

Next step:
Bowl one pound linguine noodles.

While that is going:
Make the sauce.
You will need..

1 cup chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 basil leaves finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley,finely chopped.

Start by bring your 1 cup of chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add your whipping cream, cornstarch, and garlic. Bring to a soft boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat to low and add parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 minutes as sauce thickens. Right before your ready to plate toss in your basil and parsley.

While that is going:
Heat up a pan with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Once super hot, add your chicken and pan fry till done. Remove from heat and keep warm.

There's a lot going on at once- you have to watch your chicken, make your sauce, and stir your noodles. Trust me..it's all worth it! I served with a side vegetable and bread.

And in case you are wondering, I got this recipe from a new site I've been checking out...check it out HERE

On a lighter note...a new recipe

I'll keep you all posted on what I decide to do about the blog....I agree with both sides and I just know there is a way to meet in the middle!

For now, On with life!! And a new recipe!

If you haven't checked out Our Best Bites (it's on my sidebar under recipe sites I love) then you need to do it right now!

This recipe came recommended by my friend Brook. And I took her recommendation as should all of you!

We love Chicken taquitos but sadly I usually buy them premade in the frozen section.

I gave these a try on Sunday night and everybody loved them. Even Addysen gobbled them up! Christopher would have liked them less crispy but other than that we found another winner!

Anything with cilantro and cumin is a winner in my book!

ENJOY!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese- I used the whole 8 ounces and just added a pinch more of all the spices. I think I came out with about 10 or 12 taquitos.
1/4 C green salsa- I didn't add this because I don't really like it!
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Then roll them up as tight as you can!
Place seam side down on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt, and throw them in a 400 degrees oven for about 20 minutes.
Dip them in salsa, sour cream, and guacamole

As if I needed another chocolate chip cookie recipe!

These seriously hit the spot for our Sunday night sweet tooth! Right up there with Christopher's chocolate chip cookies!

Ultimate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies:

4 cups (2 12 ounce packages Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs.

Preheat oven to 375

Melt 2 cups morsels.( I used the microwave)
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in melted chocolate. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in remaining 2 cups of morsels. Drop by 1 tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheet then remove to a wire rack.

P.S- These were better 2nd day!

New Recipe

I found this great new blogsite called Our Best Bites. It has some really great recipes I'm dying to try out. In an effort to keep from getting overwhelmed and running to the grocery store every day, I'm going to start trying one new recipe a week.


This one I put together last week for me and Christopher. I felt it might be a little too spicy for the girls and Elodie agreed after one bite. It was great though and a nice way to spice up our routine chicken on the grill. I paired it with a Santa Fe Salad and fresh french bread. And when I say fresh, I mean I was standing at the bakery when the girl pulled the french bread out of the oven. There is seriously nothing better than hot french bread and one that makes me think of my mom and my childhood! We use to go to this place called The Superstore (something between a Wal-Mart and Costco) and we would time it just right when the bakery was putting out all of there fresh loaves of french bread. This was back in the day when one loaf cost like 50 cents so my mom would get us each our own loaf and we would browse the store while we ate. Good times.


Anyway, if you try it let me know, and definitely check out the website. Great site.



Spicy Honey Chicken:


2 tablespoon vegetable oil



Rub:

2T granulated garlic
2T chili powder
1/2t coriander
1/2t onion powder
1t kosher salt
1t cumin
1/2t chipotle chili powder.


8 boneless chicken thighs. I had chicken breast on hand so that's what I used.


Glaze:

1/2 cup honey
1T cider vinegar

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Lather your chicken with vegetable oil and rub on the dry mix. Grill until well done.

While the chicken is grilling, combine honey and vinegar and heat for 10 seconds in the microwave. Mix well. Set aside 2 T. Brush remaining sauce on your chicken in the final minutes of grilling.

Right before serving pour the remaining glaze on top of chicken.

For all you chocolate/peanut butter fans out there....

This ones for you!

Peanut Butter Brownies:

1 box of your favorite brownie mix

1/2 bag of peanut butter chips

Mix brownies as directed on the back of the box. Add in peanut butter chips and bake.

Cool completely

Frosting:

1 can store bought cream cheese frosting (just to make it easy)

1 cup peanut butter.

Blend together and spread over brownies.

YUMO!

Happy Father's Day!

We had a really nice Father's Day today. I should say Christopher had a nice Father's Day but what would be Father's Day without me and the girls? For the third year in a row we have gotten together with friends to do a dessert bar after dinner. And for the third year in a row Christopher has made the same request. My dad's banana pudding. I don't make it often, and once you see all the ingredients you will see why, so I think it's officially the Father's Day dessert at our house.

Christopher was spoiled. We got him the new Dave Matthew's CD, The 4th Harry Potter Movie, and some clothes. The funny thing about the Harry Potter movie was I had gotten him the movie for Christmas but could only find it in full screen. We have widescreen for all the other movies and decided to return the full screen version and shop around a bit to find it in widescreen. I decided I was just going to go to Best Buy and fork out $20 for the special edition since I couldn't seem to find it anywhere else. The day me and the girls went Father's Day shopping Christopher called me from Best Buy to tell me he and Kolton had gone there and he found the 4th Harry Potter movie in widescreen for only $10! Great minds must think alike! I told him right over the phone Happy Father's Day! Technically it was suppose to be a Christmas gift but we counted it as a Father's Day gift too!

We love you Chris! Thanks for being such a great dad!

My Dad's Famous Banana Pudding:

2 packages instant vanilla pudding

4 cups milk

1 can condensed milk
1 16 ounce container sour cream
1 box vanilla wafers
6 bananas

Combine first 4 ingredients
Layer in a large bowl starting vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, then pudding until you reach the top.

*We like this best if you make it a day or so in advanced so the pudding is nice and stiff and the cookies are soft.*