So 'Lucky' to have had you for my teacher - Cheap and Easy Teacher Gift Tomorrow is the last day of school for the kiddo's here. I can't believe how fast this year went. It seems like just yesterday I was shopping for school supplies and my daughter was getting ready to meet her 2nd grade teacher. With the end of the year being tomorrow I have been trying to figure out some cute teacher gifts for my daughter to hand out tomorrow. This here is a gift that I actually made some of the Primary Teachers at church but I thought that these adorable gifts could double as teacher gifts as well! All I did to make these gifts was: 1. Purchase the size of Lucky Charms that you will want to use. I purchased the big boxes but I know that the single serving boxes will work as well. 2. Wrap part of the box in any wrapping paper you like. I made sure to have the 'Lucky Charms' part showing so that the little saying on the card could make sense. 3. Next I made a … [Read more...]
Rosemary Balsamic Ham
Rosemary Balsamic Ham I am a huge fan of ham. There is nothing like a family get together around with a nice Ham Dinner! I know that it is now summer time but that does not mean that I won't be cooking up some great ham dinners for all the family! I love to have guests and huge family dinners in my home and this is one meat that I never get wrong! Yum! Recently I made an amazing Rosemary Balsamic Ham. The flavor was out of this world! I can't wait to try this recipe again! Ingredients: 4-5 lb pre-cooked ham, bone in 5 Tbsp. brown sugar 5 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 4 Tbsp. grainy mustard 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary 2 Tbsp. garlic granules Preheat your oven to 375F 1. The first step to making a great ham is to score it. This will allow for the flavors to soak into the meat. To do this you will want to place the ham in the dish that you will be baking it in. I then take a knife and cut about 1/2" deep into the meat. 2. After the … [Read more...]
Baked “Hard Boiled” Eggs
Baked "Hard Boiled" Eggs I love hard boiled eggs. They are one of my all time favorite snacks. Hard Boiled Eggs are high in protein and low in calories making them a perfect quick healthy snack. I love hard boiled eggs because I can peel and eat them just how they are or I can add them to my lunch time salads! Even my daughter loves hard boiled eggs and often takes them in her school lunches. Because of my family loving them so much I often make 2-3 dozen 'hard boiled' eggs each month. But, all that cooking was getting tiresome. The truth of it was I was either getting them over done or not done enough. That is whey I decided to start baking my 'hard boiled' eggs. I love this idea because it get's the eggs cooked perfectly each and every time. The first thing I do is make sure the baking rack is right in the middle of the oven. Next I pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Then I place the eggs on the baking rack. When doing this I make sure non of them are … [Read more...]
Memorial Day Weekend Recipe: Barbecue Chicken Dinner Packets
Memorial Day Weekend Recipe: Barbecue Chicken Dinner Packets Memorial Day is one of the best holidays of the year for food-lovers, especially ones that like to grill. Whether you’re cooking out in your backyard or heading to your neighborhood block party, grilled food always steals the show during the long Memorial Day weekend. It’s pretty safe to assume that you’ll run into your fair share of hot dogs, burgers and potato salad this Memorial Day, so try cooking something a little different to avoid burger overkill! There are dozens of alternatives to traditional grilled sandwiches, from quesadillas and kebabs to saucy tomato recipes like pizza, along with complete meals like the recipe below. These Barbecue Chicken Dinner packets are unique in that every part of the meal (meat, potatoes and vegetables) cooks up in the same foil packet—meaning much less mess on your grill and easy cleanup later on! They’re also great for picky eaters since everyone can build their own packet to their … [Read more...]
25 Best Recipes for Potlucks and BBQ’s!
25 Best Recipes for Potlucks and BBQ's! Are you on the lookout for the best pot luck recipes for your BBQ's and gatherings this summer? Check out these top 25 potluck and BBQ recipes! Enjoy! All These recipes are mine and my cousins so keep coming back every day to see what we cook up next!! Main Dish- Teriyaki Burger Recipe Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin Side Dish- 9 Layered Summer Salad! Grandma’s Shrimp Salad! Lemongrass Asparagus Pasta Roasted Carrots with Lime Sliced Baked Potatoes With Cheese Garlic Lemon Spinach Hummus Recipe! Ramen Noodle Recipes: Green Bean Mushroom Casserole! Easy Meatless Appetizer: Hot Mexican Dip Cheese Stuffed Green Chilis Recipe! Pan Grilled Corn with Herbed Tomatoes and Mushrooms Fried Green Tomatillos Grilled Radishes! White Wine Cherry Tomato Green Beans! White Wine Garlic Asparagus! Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas w/ Philadelphia Cooking Cream Mustard-Glazed … [Read more...]
Layered Strawberry Shortcake!
Layered Strawberry Shortcake! Summer time means fresh berries! Oh how I love berries! Especially strawberries! Recently I was in need of a great dessert for a small get-together. As I walked the produce isle I seen the fresh strawberries and instantly knew what I was going to make! Layered Strawberry Shortcake is quick, easy and inexpensive to make! Ingredients: 2 pre-made shortcakes torn into bite sized pieces2 lbs strawberries sliced16 oz whip topping32 oz strawberry pie filling Directions: 1. Layer bottom of bowl with torn pieces of shortcake. 2. Cover layer of shortcake with 1/4 of the strawberry pie filling. 3. Add whipped topping to layer of Strawberry pie filling. 4. Add 1/4 sliced strawberries to layer of whip topping. 5. Start the layers over again until the bowl is filled!! I also have strawberry jam pictured in this photo. You can alternate the jam with the pie filling if you like. I did not use … [Read more...]
Grandma’s Shrimp Salad! #recipe – Perfect for Potlucks and Summer BBQ’s!
Grandma's Shrimp Salad! Growing up my extended family always got together for every holiday. One of my favorite things about getting together for a holiday was enjoying all the amazing food that was prepared. Each year there were many new dishes to try...but there were also those staples that everyone loved but we only got once or twice a year. One of those amazing staples is my Grandma's Shrimp Salad. This is a favorite dish among my family and something we still look forward to enjoying every Thanksgiving as we visit her home. My mouth is watering just thinking about my Grandma's Shrimp Salad! Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb elbow macaroni2 cup Miracle Whip2 bundles green onions8 oz canned shrimpsalt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. Prepare macaroni using directions on package. Drain, set aside to cool. 2. Dice 2 bundles of green onions. 3. Transfer macaroni into serving dish. Add Miracle Whip, diced green onions, shrimp (drained) and stir together. … [Read more...]
Easy to make Shrimp Thai Soup! #recipe
I am great at improvising. It is easy for me to go to the cupboard and pull out this and that and make something out of it. Recently I was in a soup mood.....so I headed to the cupboard and fridge and came up with this concoction! Shrimp Thai Soup is what I shall call it ;) Shrimp Thai Soup I am a huge fan of Thai. Although, I never cooked Thai style food until this year. Now I can't seem to get enough. I am a lover of vegetables and with this Shrimp Thai Soup I was able to add some spice and flair to my vegetables! Ingredients: 3 qt water3 chicken bullion cubes1/4 cup celery 1/4 cup fresh cilantro3 bok choy stemsGreen Onion Bundle diced6 fresh basil leaves8 oz package mushrooms1 lb shrimp2 packages of Thai noodle soup (any flavor) Directions: 1. Fill a large stock pot with water and start to cook on medium-high heat. Heat to boil. 2. In separate pan cook noodles following package directions....just … [Read more...]
Stacked Enchiladas!
Stacked Enchiladas! I love my husband. He is such an amazing man...and amazing cook! Each and every weekend my husband plans out the weekend menu. He cooks the family dinner every Saturday and Sunday night. I always look forward to his tasty meals each and every week. Recently my husband made the most amazing Stacked Enchiladas. Oh my....they were spot on! Yum! Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef1/2 medium white onion diced1/4 c dry taco seasoning9 - 6" flour tortillas Toppings: 1/2 diced oniondiced lettucesour creamshredded cheesesalsa Directions: 1. Brown ground beef in large skillet on med-high heat. Stirring often so the ground beef does not burn about 5 minutes. 2. Once ground beef is browned add 1/2 medium white onion and taco seasoning to fry pan. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat and set aside. 3. In separate fry pan add vegetable oil until about 1/2 inch deep. Heat oil on medium heat. Once … [Read more...]
How to make a Magnetic Makeup Board!
DIY Magnetic Makeup Board As most of you know I have really been focused on getting my house organized. My main focus the past month has been my bathroom. This includes organizing my makeup. Recently someone posted a picture on facebook about a Magnetic Makeup Board. I thought this idea was amazingly brilliant and would be super cheap and easy to make! So I thought I would give it a try! Plus it would give me a chance to see all the makeup I had instead of digging around my makeup bag for everything! The first step to this project was finding the perfect picture to turn into a magnet board. For this I went to my local Thrift Store. I found a picture frame that would work and purchased it for $3.50! Once I got the picture frame home I got to work on my project. The first step was removing the backing from the picture frame. This picture was held together by staples so we took a screwdriver and removed all the staples from the backing. Next my husband took the glass out of … [Read more...]
Napa Cabbage, Carrot and Mushroom Stir-Fry
Napa Cabbage, Carrot and Mushroom Stir-Fry I love stir-fry. It is one of the most cooked meals in my home. Not only is it healthy with all those yummy vegetables but the combinations and flavors are endless! Recently I decided to make a stir-fry unlike any I have ever made before. This time I cooked with vegetables only which is something I do not do often in stir-fry. I used Napa Cabbage, Carrots and Mushrooms! It turned out amazing and the whole family could not get enough. Ingredients: 1 small yellow onion diced3 thin slices fresh ginger2tbs butter1 lb bag carrots diced1 package mushrooms sliced3tbs soy sauce1/2 c water2 beef bullion cubes3 tbs rice wine vinegar1 small head Napa cabbage sliced Directions: 1. Add onion and ginger to fry pan with 2 tbs butter. Cook on medium heat stirring often until onions are transparent. 2. Add carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, water and bullion cubes to fry pan. Heat to boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer stirring … [Read more...]
Lemongrass Thai Chicken
Lemongrass Thai Chicken I could eat chicken every day. I love the taste and it is much healthier then eating red meat. The only downside is my husband is not a fan of chicken. That is why I have to get very creative when I cook it! That is exactly what I did when I made Lemongrass Thai Chicken the other night for dinner...boy did it taste amazing! I had never before cooked with Lemongrass but it seems I have been able to experiment with it more and more here recently. I must say that it is a welcome addition to my cooking! Yum! INGREDIENTS 4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts ¼c olive oil 1 stalk lemongrass finly diced 1 small head garlic diced 1 teaspoon of dried red chilies 1 small purple onion 2 fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tabelspoon rice vinegar DIRECTIONS: 1. Add 2 tbs olive oil to fry pan and cook lemongrass about 10 minutes on medium heat. 2. Add chicken breasts on top of lemongrass in fry pan. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes. … [Read more...]
Quick and Easy Apricot Chicken
Quick and Easy Apricot Chicken Stuck in a rut when it comes to dinner ideas? When you keep a busy schedule and have a million things to pack into each day, it can be easy to get in the habit of repeating the same go-to recipes over and over again. If you’re feeling uninspired about meal time, one of the best ways to discover new ingredients and flavors is to take a look at what’s in season. Now that it’s officially spring, everything from asparagus and artichokes to maple syrup and strawberries is coming back into season, so take advantage of fresh new flavors and try cooking with things you haven’t eating in a while! This apricot chicken is perfect for a light, springtime dinner when you want something quick but satisfying, and apricots are one of the fruits that come into season in spring. Most home cooks always have a supply of chicken breasts or thighs in their freezers, making easy chicken recipes one of the very best resources for busy weeknight meals. This recipe … [Read more...]
Lemongrass Asparagus Pasta
Lemongrass Asparagus Pasta I love asparagus. It is one of my all time favorite vegetables! Recently I was able to score an amazing deal on 28 lbs of asparagus. This allowed me to experiment with lots of great recipes! One of the recipes I tried out was the Lemongrass Asparagus Pasta. I love how quick and easy this turned out to be and it helped me to add a little flavor to the usual asparagus dish that I prepare. I think my family was tired of me cooking it the same way over and over again.... Ingredients: 2 cups cooked pasta2 tbsp olive oil1 diced lemongrass stalk1 minced clove of garlic1/2 Red Onion Diced 1 bundle asparagus (cut the bundle in half) 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp butterSalt and Pepper to taste Directions: 1. Prepare the pasta using directions on package. 2. Heat olive oil in frying pan on medium heat. Add in lemongrass, onion and garlic. Sauté about 2-3 minutes string often. 3. Add in lower parts of asparagus stalks as they are harder … [Read more...]
Leek and Bok Choy Soup #recipe!
Leek and Bok Choy Soup I have been on a soup kick recently. I am not sure why as the weather is warming up and hot soup is not usually something I want during a hot day. The other day as I was looking through my kitchen I noticed my Leek's and Boy Choy that I had on hand. I got to thinking that these would probably make an amazing soup...boy was I right! The flavors of the Leek's mixed with the Bok Choy was super light and tasty. I love that this is a great soup to eat by it's self or to go with a sandwich. Plus it is low in calories which is a huge bonus for me! Ingredients: 2 Leeks 1 T olive oil 6 cups water4 beef bulion cubes1 bok choy 3 basil leaves Directions: 1. Add diced leeks and olive oil to fry pan. Saute about 5-10 minutes on medium heat stirring often so they do not burn. Just long enough for the leeks to soften. 2. In stock pot heat water and bullion cubes to boil, stir often. Once water is boiling turn heat down to medium. Add sauteed leeks, bok choy … [Read more...]