Sunday, August 28, 2011

When life gives you rotten (very ripe) bananas; Make Banana Bread!!


Banana Bread

3 over ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 egg
1/4 cup of butter
4 Tbs. of chocolate chips, chopped Kisses or M & M's

  • Preheat oven to 325. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and egg.
  • Melt butter in microwave, add to bowl and stir until blended.
  • Pour into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle chocolate on top. Bake for 60-70 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Salsa Chicken (crockpot recipe)

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts

1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1½ c. corn
1 ½ c. salsa
1 c. Cheddar cheese, grated
Hot cooked rice


Directions:


Combine ingredients in slow cooker, except rice and cheese. Cover; cook on Low 6-8 hours or High 4-6 hours. Serve over rice and top with cheese or serve with warm flour tortillas, cheese and sour cream.


My family is not huge on canned corn so we did not add the corn and it turned out great. The boys loved it wrapped in a warm flour tortilla with cheese and sour cream.

Source: "What's for dinner" thread on www.vickysdeals.com

Totino's "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack giveaway

Thanks for all the comments and for sharing the Totino's "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack giveaway on all your different blogs. I did contact the winner on the day of the giveaway but realized I did not post on the blog that a winner had been chosen. I am excited that I have a new Blogspark giveaway to share very soon. Thanks for following my blog.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fragrant Fried Rice Pilaf

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 can (15.5 oz.) white beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, cover the rice with water

    and stir until the water becomes cloudy; drain and repeat twice.

    Return the rice to the saucepan, add 1 cup cold water, cover and

    cook over medium-low heat until the water has been absorbed

    and the rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes,

    then fluff with a fork.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over

    medium-high heat. Add the eggs, season with salt and

    pepper and cook, stirring, until set and just dry, about 1 minute.

    Transfer to a cutting board and let cool; coarsely chop.

  3. In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat.

    Add the scallion whites and bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender,

    about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Add the

    beans and peas-carrots mix and cook until heated through;

    transfer to a large bowl.

  4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp. oil and

    the cumin over medium-high heat. Stir in the cooked

    rice. Spread into a single layer and cook, undisturbed,

    until the rice forms a crust, about 3 minutes. Break up

    the rice and sprinkle with the soy sauce. Stir in the scallion

    greens, cilantro, bean mixture and eggs and cook until heated through.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Thai Chicken (Crockpot meal)

Thai Chicken (Crockpot Meal)

Thai Chicken
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 Tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp grated ginger
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
lime wedges for serving

In a 5-6 qt. slow cooker, combine coconut milk, curry paste and ginger; mix in the chicken, peppers and onion.
Cook, covered until chicken is cooked through, on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Stir in the peas into the chicken mixture and cook, covered until heated through about 3 minutes. Spoon the chicken, vegetables and sauce over rice noodles or rice (We like Jasmine rice) and sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

*Our family likes a little more spice so we add more red curry paste than the recipe calls for and we felt like adding sea salt brought out the flavors in the dish.
We also like the dish a little more saucy so we used a whole can of coconut milk (13.5 oz) instead of just 3/4 cup that the recipe calls for.


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes


My husband loves to browse the web and find new recipes to try and he found this cool website and this yummy recipe. We did cheat and used Hungry Jack pancake mix as the base of the pancakes. Here is a picture of one of our pancakes followed by the link to the website and her recipe.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Taco Night


Tacos are so easy. I love cutting and prepping all the ingredients and letting my boys fix their own.


Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed


DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
2 In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
3 Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
4 Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

1 package fried rice flavor Rice-A-Roni
4 cups of shredded cooked chicken (I buy a rotisserie Chicken and pull it apart and use it for 2 different meals)
1 can of Cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp Poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375
Spoon the rice in an even layer on the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine the soup, sour cream, and chicken in a separate bowl. Spoon this evenly over the rice. In the same bowl, combine crackers and butter. Scatter this over the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top. Bake until it is bubbling and crackers are lightly brown, 25-30 minutes.


This casserole has become a family favorite of ours since a friend brought it to us after our twins were born. It is easy to put together ahead of time and bake later; it can also be frozen for later use. I usually serve it with vegetables or a salad.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Chicken and Veggie Kebabs










We used Lawry's Caribbean Jerk 30 minute Marinade and Lawry's Seasoned Salt on Chicken and Veggie Kebabs last night. They turned out so yummy; tangy and a little spicy.










Kebabs are so great because they are so versatile. You can use any type of meat or seafood and any veggies you have on hand.


The kids had fun making their own kebabs too!!

























Annie's Lunch Sack Promotion

Toss the brown bag this back-to-school season!

bts 2


Annie’s has teamed up with Honest Kids, Seventh Generation and YoKids to help families toss their brown bags this back-to-school season by offering a free Kids Konserve lunch sack with the purchase of participating products July 1, 2001 through Sept. 30, 2011.

Did you know? The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that of the more than 3,960,000 tons of plastic bags, sacks and wraps produced annually, 90 percent are discarded and end up in landfills or oceans. Reusable lunch sacks are the way to go! To recieve your FREE Kids Konserve lunch sack, visit www.Annies.com/bts11 to view a list of eligible products, print out a form then mail in proof of purchase of all four brands.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Yummy Grilled Dessert





Grilled Banana Smores

We made these desserts tonight so easy and YUMMY!!

Place a banana on a piece of foil cover with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and crushed graham crackers. Roll the foil to make a boat shape. Place on the grill until melty.
We topped it with whipped cream after we took it off the grill.


Friday, August 12, 2011

Chex® Muddy Buddies®

A couple of days ago, my boys and I were bored and wanted a sweet treat. I found all the ingredients for this recipe in my pantry and it kept us busy in the kitchen for a little while. It is a easy recipe for the kids to help practice their measuring skills and the cooking only involves the microwave. One of my sons is not a peanut butter fan so we just made a small batch without peanut butter for him and it turned out fine.

Chex® Muddy Buddies®

9 cups Corn Chex®, Rice Chex®, Wheat Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
  2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
  3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chex-muddy-buddies/92e4756c-abc1-452a-9b2c-dd124d858050

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Totino's "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack giveaway


I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to host my first MyBlogSpark giveaway. The products featured are things my family already enjoys and supports; Totino's pizza products and Box Tops for Education.









My family has been eating Totino's pizza rolls and pizzas since my husband and I were in college and now we enjoy them with our boys. They make a quick after school snack or easy, quick meal. And we love that Totino's supports Box Tops for Education. I have been clipping BTFE's since my oldest started Kindergarten to support our school. Since it is back to school season, the BTFE collection campaigns will be gearing up at school so this giveaway comes at a great time.




This school year, Totino´s® is giving away one million Bonus Box Tops (equivalent to $100,000) to help bring fun ideas to life both inside and outside of the classroom, through the "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" sweepstakes:
  • This school year, four participating schools in the Box Tops for Education (BTFE) program will each win 250,000 Bonus Box Tops, equivalent to $25,000, from Totino´s to help fund a fun project at their school. Visit www.BTFE.com/Totinos to view official sweepstakes rules.

  • You can start, or continue, to earn cash for your kid´s school by collecting Box Tops coupons from hundreds of products, including Totino´s

  • This back-to-school season, Totino´s® Party Pizza® and Pizza Rolls® Snacks will feature double Box Tops on select varieties, to help you earn even more for your kid´s school!
Fun is an essential part of learning. Continue to help make your kid´s learning environment more fun and exciting by taking advantage of these simple opportunities from Totino´s - enter the "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" sweepstakes for your chance to win 250,000 Bonus Box Tops, and serve up a quick and delicious after-school snack with Totino´s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls Snacks, while collecting double Box Tops from each. You can also check out these videos from a group of Totino´s Fun-Atics, Box Tops Coordinators who are bringing fun to their local schools.

1According to a survey conducted by Totino´s June 2011
www.BTFE.com/Totinos | Also find us on:
"Disclosure: The information and prize pack has been provided by Totino´s through MyBlogSpark."


My Blog Spark and Totino's "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" has sent my family an awesome prize pack and is allowing me to share a prize pack as shown below to one of my readers. You can gain one entry for the each of the following:


    Your prize pack will contain:
  • One Totino´s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack which includes: a Brain Quest Smart! Game, Micro Rubik´s® Cube Key Holder, a draw string backpack, and coupons for a free package of Totino´s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Totino´s Party Pizza and new Totino´s Pizza Stuffers.

  • Your giveaway winner´s prize pack will contain:
  • One Totino´s "Learn a Ton when School is Fun" prize pack which includes a Brain Quest Smart! Game, Micro Rubik´s® Cube Key Holder and draw string backpack, and coupons for a free package of Totino´s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Totino´s Party Pizza and new Totino´s Pizza Stuffers.

I will be picking a winner by using random.org on August 19th.
Be sure to check out the Box Tops for Education Sweepstakes to help your local school;
  • Box Tops for Education Sweepstakes website http://bit.ly/btfetotinos















































































  • Wednesday, August 3, 2011

    Giveaway $25 Winn Dixie Gift card

    Giveaway $25 Winn Dixie Gift card

    Here is a link to a Giveaway for a $25 Winn Dixie Gift card on a blog I follow.

    Please go to her link and check out her blog;

    Win a $25 gift card from @BTFE & @FamilyMusings http://bit.ly/fM4Eka#giveaway


    One Meal that became two

    Here is the recipe that I made last night. It was a new recipe for our family and we all thought it was great.
    The only thing I did not include was the jar of Roasted Red Peppers.

    Chicken Parmesan Salad

    From: August issue of Family Fun

    Ingredients
    • FOR THE MARINATED MOZZARELLA
    • 4 ounces part-skim mozzarella, cubed
    • 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt and pepper

    • FOR THE CHICKEN TENDERS
    • 2 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into strips
    • 1/2 cup flower, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
    • 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    • FOR THE DRESSING
    • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 garlic clove (minced), salt and pepper
    • FOR THE SALAD
    • 6 cups mixed salad greens
    • 1 jarred roasted red pepper, sliced

    Instructions
    1. In a medium bowl, toss all of the ingredients for the marinated mozzarella. Let the mixture sit at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.

    2. Prepare three separate bowls for dredging the chicken. In the first, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. In another, beat the eggs. In the last, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, and oregano. Dredge each chicken strip first in the flour mixture, then the egg; roll it in the crumbs and transfer it to a plate.

    3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken in batches (don't overcrowd the pieces), until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. If needed, add more oil to the pan as you cook. Transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

    In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. In a large bowl, toss the salad greens, roasted red pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the dressing. To serve, fill each bowl with To serve, fill each bowl with the salad mixture, then top it with some marinated mozzarella and a few chicken tenders. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.



    I made so much of the Parmesan Chicken Tenders that I used them tonight to make Chicken Parmesan. I just cooked spaghetti and heated up jarred spaghetti sauce. I used oven safe bowls and made individual Chicken Parmesans. I layered spaghetti noodles, sauce, chicken and then topped it with parmesan and mozzarella cheese and put it under the broiler until it was warm and the cheese was hot and bubbly.