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Showing posts from January, 2013

Pizza-Dillas

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I had the idea for this recipe a long time ago. When we had some leftover pizza ingredients, I thought it was a great way to use them up. Also, you can coordinate your toppings to each child. Keep this in mind when you need a quick and easy lunch! Pizza-Dillas Tortillas Pizza Sauce Mozzarella Cheese Assorted toppings Place one tortilla on a paper plate. Spread half of it with a few tablespoons of pizza sauce. Add desired toppings and cheese. Microwave about 40 - 50 seconds or until cheese is melted. Fold over and cut into wedges to serve. My son Evan loves pepperoni, while his sisters do not. It's easy to customize each Pizza-Dilla so that everyone is happy! If you need to put together a quick pizza sauce, try using 8 ounces of tomato sauce with about 1/2 teaspoon each basil and oregano. Enjoy! Looking for more great pizza recipes? Homemade Pizza Stuffed Crust Pizza Exquisite Pizza Sauce

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

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My sister-in-law Stephanie brought this bread to a couple of different gatherings over Christmas this year. I think my son, Evan, would have eaten the entire loaf if I had let him. Of course, I had to have the recipe. I received this fancy mini loaf bread pan from my brother for Christmas, and I was itching to try it out. I thought this was the perfect recipe to use it for. Almond Poppy Seed Bread Add to mixing bowl in order: 3 c. flour 1/2 Tb. baking powder 3 eggs 1 c. + 1 Tb. oil (to lighten it up, replace 1/2 c. of the oil with 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce) 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 tsp. salt 2 1/4 c. sugar 1 1/2 c. milk 3 Tb. poppy seeds 1/2 tsp. almond extract Beat 2 minutes. Pour into two 9 by 5 or six 6 by 3.5 inch greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degreese 45-50 minutes for 9 by 5 loaf pans. For the smaller loaf size, bake about 40 minutes. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For the glaze, whisk together: 3/4 c....

Grandma Mack's Breakfast Delight

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Before I say anything else, I must tell you that I do not have a Grandma Mack. I don't know who she is, but this recipe is delightful! This is a recipe that I got from my sister-in-law, Stephanie. (She doesn't have a Grandma Mack either, but she has been a terrific recipe resource for me.) I have a great recipe for Poppy Seed Almond Bread from her as well that I hope to post soon. I love breakfast casseroles! They are so easy to have ready, in the fridge, for the next morning. I just write the instructions on top of the Press N Seal, and Matt can slip it in the oven when he wakes up. Then breakfast is ready when the kids are up and around! This is a very versatile and easy recipe. You can use ham, sausage, or any breakfast meat that you like. As I said before, I like to put this one together the night before so all that is necessary in the morning is to pop it in the oven. Here's the recipe: Grandma Mack's Breakfast Delight: 1 tube (8 oz.) refrige...

Scrumptious Turtle Cookies

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I had to publish this picture because, well, I don't make cookies often. And, when I make cookies, I usually don't make ones that have several steps to prepare. Well, for Christmas this year, I did! I think these are one of the prettiest cookies that I have ever made. They were delicious, too! My brother thought they reminded him of a Girl Scout Samoa cookie minus the coconut. I think these cookies would perfectly grace a Christmas cookie plate. They would also be a great addition to a baby or bridal shower. What I love about these cookies: 1. They're yummy! 2. They're pretty! 3. Though it recipe had several steps, they were not that hard to do. 4. It made a small batch, so it did not take that long. I did not need that many for my family Christmas gathering. You may need to double or triple this recipe if you need lots of cookies! Here's the recipe from The Kitchen is My Playground (I love the name of this blog!) Cookie: 1 c. all-pu...

Easy Elegant Lemon Chicken

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My Anna loves fruit. Put somes apples, bananas, or grapes on her plate, and she is a happy camper. Often, though, she struggles to eat her meat portion of the meal. When we have chicken, I usually put five small bites on her plate. She is expected to eat that much, and it can be a bit of a battle for her to get it done. The other day, I was struggling with what to make for dinner when this recipe came to mind. It is simple enough to make for a weeknight meal, yet pretty enough to serve for company. The recipe is well known at the Methodist church in Sharon Springs --I know of at least one wedding where this chicken was the main course! "How does this story come together," You ask? Well, we put about five pieces of this chicken on Anna 's plate. Not only did it disappear in seconds, but she requested seconds. . .and thirds! The rest of the kids really enjoyed it, too. I will definitely be making it again soon! Here's the recipe: (adapted from Sharon S...

Oreo Peppermint Popcorn

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The kids and I made this delicious popcorn for Christmas gifts this year. My eight year old spent a lot of time learning to curl ribbon with a scissors as we packaged various homemade gifts. This recipe contains one of my favorite combinations--chocolate and mint. Except for a few years after I was pregnant with Maddie and developed an extreme aversion to peppermint (I was so thankful for cinnamon-flavored toothpaste or I would have been concocting my own blend!), my favorite flavor of ice cream has been mint chocolate chip. So, what better way to improve on oreo popcorn than by adding a little peppermint flavor? I was completely into peppermint this Christmas season! (You should have seen all the recipes I was collecting on my Pinterest boards!) Here's the recipe: Oreo Peppermint Popcorn (adapted from Plain Chicken) 18 cups air-popped popcorn 1 24 ounce package almond bark 20 oreos, crushed 1/2 cup finely crushed candy canes or other peppermint candy Place po...

Jubilee Jumbles

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This weekend we celebrated Christmas with my side of the family. When I was growing up, my mom and Grandma had a tradition of making cookie plates for family, friends, neighbors, and, well, a lot of people. Apparently, at 19 years of age, Grandma began taking cookie plates as Christmas gifts to the neighbors when she and Grandpa moved out the family farm. Over the years, making cookie plates snowballed into this large task of preparing over forty different cookies and candies and delivering seventy (yes, seventy!) cookie plates every Christmas. I can remember helping mix up and bake a quadruple batch of two different kinds of cookies in one day. Mom and Grandma had the preparation down to a science. We would begin baking the day after Thanksgiving with peppernuts--a tiny, spicy German cookie whose flavor actually improves with age. Then we would go down the list of cookies that we could freeze and store. One of the last things we would make were the frosted sugar cookies. ...