Classic Orange Julius

Growing up we only ever had orange julius on a rare occasion.  It was saved for when we had a really nice breakfast, but I love this drink!  It's simple, creamy, frothy, & sweet.  

Classic Orange Julius

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 6 oz orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup COLD water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups ice
• 1/2 banana (optional)

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth & frothy.  Serve immediately.  Makes 2-3 quarts.  (Do not double; your blender probably won't be big enough.)

Growing up we only ever had orange julius on a rare occasion.  It was saved for when we had a really nice breakfast, but I love this drink!  It's simple, creamy, frothy, & sweet.  

Classic Orange Julius

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 6 oz orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup COLD water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups ice
• 1/2 banana (optional)

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth & frothy.  Serve immediately.  Makes 2-3 quarts.  (Do not double; your blender probably won't be big enough.)

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Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

It's always fun when one of my kiddos has to take a snack to their Wed. night church classes.  I like to try out new recipes.....kid-friendly sweets, typically, that we can share with others.  Recipes like Homemade Oreos or Melting Snowman Cookies.

Last week I decided to (gasp!) go with something a little more healthy. 
Brimming with pumpkin, apple, and raisins and made with whole wheat flour, maybe we can overlook the sugar factor and consider these a nutritious snack. 
At any rate, they were immensely popular with the first grade girls, as well as their teacher.  She made a point of finding me to rave about them, so I know they must have been enjoyed.

They're very moist, nicely spiced, and have that sweet and cinnamony streusel on top....which can be a little crumbly and messy if you're not careful, just a word from the wise there.

Recipe: adapted from Circle B Kitchen
Yield: 15-16 muffins

For topping:
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
8 Tbs sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

For muffins:
1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I used regular ground nutmeg)1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1-1/4 cups of canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 oz vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 apple (I used Gala), peeled, cored, and chopped into small-ish pieces (1 cup)
1 cup raisins

Prepare topping first.
Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease muffin pan with cooking spray.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples and the raisins.
Fill muffin tins with batter and sprinkle with topping mix.
Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

Linked to Crazy Sweet Tuesday

It's always fun when one of my kiddos has to take a snack to their Wed. night church classes.  I like to try out new recipes.....kid-friendly sweets, typically, that we can share with others.  Recipes like Homemade Oreos or Melting Snowman Cookies.

Last week I decided to (gasp!) go with something a little more healthy. 
Brimming with pumpkin, apple, and raisins and made with whole wheat flour, maybe we can overlook the sugar factor and consider these a nutritious snack. 
At any rate, they were immensely popular with the first grade girls, as well as their teacher.  She made a point of finding me to rave about them, so I know they must have been enjoyed.

They're very moist, nicely spiced, and have that sweet and cinnamony streusel on top....which can be a little crumbly and messy if you're not careful, just a word from the wise there.

Recipe: adapted from Circle B Kitchen
Yield: 15-16 muffins

For topping:
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
8 Tbs sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

For muffins:
1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I used regular ground nutmeg)1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1-1/4 cups of canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 oz vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 apple (I used Gala), peeled, cored, and chopped into small-ish pieces (1 cup)
1 cup raisins

Prepare topping first.
Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease muffin pan with cooking spray.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium bowl.
Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples and the raisins.
Fill muffin tins with batter and sprinkle with topping mix.
Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

Linked to Crazy Sweet Tuesday

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Rolled Italian Meat Loaf

You all know how I like roulades!  But I usually have only ever made my rolls sweet.  I guess I have gone over into the savory category now.  I saw this recipe & knew I had to try it.  It really was quite simple & is a lot prettier than your typical meat loaf.  I loved having a filling inside.  So much better than a slice of regular old meat loaf.  Surprise your dinner guests with this fun & delicious classic!
 

Rolled Italian Meat Loaf

Recipe altered from Betty Crocker by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1 lb ground beef (I used 80/20)
• 1 lb Italian Sausage 
• 1 egg
• 1 cup marinara/pasta sauce, divided (I used Classico Florentine Spinach & Cheese)
• 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese blend (use whatever Italian cheeses you have, I had a mix of 3 cheese & shredded parmesan)
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves

1. Heat oven to 350*F.  In a large bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, egg, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, bread crumbs, & pepper.
2. On wax paper, pat mixture into a 12x8" rectangle.  Sprinkle evenly with cheese; gently press into meat.  Top with spinach.  Starting on one end (I rolled mine starting on the 12" side) roll up tightly, using wax paper to start roll & tucking in spinach leaves; seal ends.  Place seam side down in an ungreased 9x13" glass baking dish.  
3. Bake 1 hour.  Spread remaining marinara sauce over top.  Bake 15 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in meat loaf reads 160*F.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

You all know how I like roulades!  But I usually have only ever made my rolls sweet.  I guess I have gone over into the savory category now.  I saw this recipe & knew I had to try it.  It really was quite simple & is a lot prettier than your typical meat loaf.  I loved having a filling inside.  So much better than a slice of regular old meat loaf.  Surprise your dinner guests with this fun & delicious classic!
 

Rolled Italian Meat Loaf

Recipe altered from Betty Crocker by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1 lb ground beef (I used 80/20)
• 1 lb Italian Sausage 
• 1 egg
• 1 cup marinara/pasta sauce, divided (I used Classico Florentine Spinach & Cheese)
• 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups shredded 6 cheese Italian cheese blend (use whatever Italian cheeses you have, I had a mix of 3 cheese & shredded parmesan)
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves

1. Heat oven to 350*F.  In a large bowl, mix ground beef, sausage, egg, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, bread crumbs, & pepper.
2. On wax paper, pat mixture into a 12x8" rectangle.  Sprinkle evenly with cheese; gently press into meat.  Top with spinach.  Starting on one end (I rolled mine starting on the 12" side) roll up tightly, using wax paper to start roll & tucking in spinach leaves; seal ends.  Place seam side down in an ungreased 9x13" glass baking dish.  
3. Bake 1 hour.  Spread remaining marinara sauce over top.  Bake 15 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in meat loaf reads 160*F.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

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Oreo Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

These tasted even better than they look.

For real. (and since I think they look pretty fabulous, they tasted outstanding!)

And just so you  know, there's an oreo inside the cupcake as well.  For some reason I neglected to get a photo of that.  

This was my first experience making and even tasting Swiss meringue buttercream frosting (SMBF).....to be honest, I was a little nervous about it.  

I love American buttercream.  

I don't think it's too sweet (as some people do), and I love it plain or flavored with chocolate or raspberry or almond or strawberry and I love it on just about any flavor of cake.  

And I love the versions of it with cream cheese too.  

My loyalty to American buttercream will never be replaced. 

Swiss meringue buttercream has just over one cup of sugar and two cups of butter (and some egg whites).

Did you catch that?  

With regular buttercream, I use eight cups of sugar to two cups of butter.  

How in the world could a frosting with only one cup of sugar possibly be sweet enough or even taste like anything but just a slab of butter?  

That being said, I had read several recipes in various places and seen people raving that different variations of SMBF were their favorite frostings in the whole wide world....so despite my apprehension that it would be a complete flop, my curiousity got the best of me and I had to know why all these people thought this frosting was so good.  

So I made this recipe for our small group.  And I must say, they were a tremendous hit.  Everyone loved them, and I even got comments on the frosting being "dreamy" and "so smooth" and "light and perfect".  

It truly was.  Overly sweet it was not, but it was definitely a great complement to a sweet cupcake, and the little oreo crumbs in it added a great flavor balance.  

Now, I will say that if you serve the cupcakes just out of the refrigerator, the frosting will taste more like just slightly sweet butter - not terrible, but not great.  But if you have the self-control to let them sit out on the counter for about 20 minutes before eating them, (and believe me, that's easier said than done), it's really worth it.  The frosting softens and lightens up and is so incredibly smooth and satiny and....well, delicious.  

If you've never made SMBF before, I highly recommend this tutorial by Sweetapolita - she breaks it down with beautiful photos and explains the process perfectly.

It is certainly more involved than standard buttercream, much more time consuming, but I recommend that you try it at least once.  You just have to know for yourself whether it's the perfect frosting for you!

Note: I used my favorite cupcake recipe because it makes a large batch and because I love it - turns out it might not have been the best choice because it's a thin batter and the Oreos placed in the bottom of the cupcake liners were supposed to stay at the bottom of the cupcake, but they all floated to the top of the cake batter.  They still tasted amazing....but I think if you use a thicker cake batter (like from a cake mix or maybe another scratch recipe), the cookies will stay on the bottom.  It's up to you.

Also, this cupcake recipe yields 36 cupcakes.  I didn't have enough oreos in one package to get one in the bottom of all the cupcakes and still have enough for the garnishes - so a few cupcakes didn't have the cookies.  

Recipe: inspired by A Cup Full of Cake, frosting adapted from Martha Stewart

Cupcakes:
3 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1-1/4 t. salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup oil (canola)
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 t. vanilla extract

Chocolate sandwich cookies, tops twisted off and reserved

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl; add the hot coffee and let stand a minute or two, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high speed until slightly thickened and pale yellow.  Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, mixing until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed  just until incorporated.  

Place an Oreo half (cream side up) in the bottom of each cupcake liner. (If they float to the top, don't worry - they'll still be wonderful!
Divide the batter evenly, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting: (Read this tutorial.  It made all the difference in my success.)

5 large egg whites

1 cup plus 2 T. sugar

Pinch of salt

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons, room temperature

1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

15-20 reserved cookie tops, crushed in blender or a bag

Chocolate sandwich cookies, cut in half for garnish (optional)

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heat proof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water.  Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips)

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.  Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.  Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about two minutes.  Scrape down the sides of bowl with a spatula and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth.  Add crushed cookie tops and fold in well.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes with a large open star tip.  Garnish with a half cookie, if desired.  Keep at room temperature if serving soon - refrigerate leftovers overnight and bring back to room temp. before serving. 

Linked to Trick or Treat Tuesday and Crazy Sweet Tuesday

These tasted even better than they look.

For real. (and since I think they look pretty fabulous, they tasted outstanding!)

And just so you  know, there's an oreo inside the cupcake as well.  For some reason I neglected to get a photo of that.  

This was my first experience making and even tasting Swiss meringue buttercream frosting (SMBF).....to be honest, I was a little nervous about it.  

I love American buttercream.  

I don't think it's too sweet (as some people do), and I love it plain or flavored with chocolate or raspberry or almond or strawberry and I love it on just about any flavor of cake.  

And I love the versions of it with cream cheese too.  

My loyalty to American buttercream will never be replaced. 

Swiss meringue buttercream has just over one cup of sugar and two cups of butter (and some egg whites).

Did you catch that?  

With regular buttercream, I use eight cups of sugar to two cups of butter.  

How in the world could a frosting with only one cup of sugar possibly be sweet enough or even taste like anything but just a slab of butter?  

That being said, I had read several recipes in various places and seen people raving that different variations of SMBF were their favorite frostings in the whole wide world....so despite my apprehension that it would be a complete flop, my curiousity got the best of me and I had to know why all these people thought this frosting was so good.  

So I made this recipe for our small group.  And I must say, they were a tremendous hit.  Everyone loved them, and I even got comments on the frosting being "dreamy" and "so smooth" and "light and perfect".  

It truly was.  Overly sweet it was not, but it was definitely a great complement to a sweet cupcake, and the little oreo crumbs in it added a great flavor balance.  

Now, I will say that if you serve the cupcakes just out of the refrigerator, the frosting will taste more like just slightly sweet butter - not terrible, but not great.  But if you have the self-control to let them sit out on the counter for about 20 minutes before eating them, (and believe me, that's easier said than done), it's really worth it.  The frosting softens and lightens up and is so incredibly smooth and satiny and....well, delicious.  

If you've never made SMBF before, I highly recommend this tutorial by Sweetapolita - she breaks it down with beautiful photos and explains the process perfectly.

It is certainly more involved than standard buttercream, much more time consuming, but I recommend that you try it at least once.  You just have to know for yourself whether it's the perfect frosting for you!

Note: I used my favorite cupcake recipe because it makes a large batch and because I love it - turns out it might not have been the best choice because it's a thin batter and the Oreos placed in the bottom of the cupcake liners were supposed to stay at the bottom of the cupcake, but they all floated to the top of the cake batter.  They still tasted amazing....but I think if you use a thicker cake batter (like from a cake mix or maybe another scratch recipe), the cookies will stay on the bottom.  It's up to you.

Also, this cupcake recipe yields 36 cupcakes.  I didn't have enough oreos in one package to get one in the bottom of all the cupcakes and still have enough for the garnishes - so a few cupcakes didn't have the cookies.  

Recipe: inspired by A Cup Full of Cake, frosting adapted from Martha Stewart

Cupcakes:
3 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1-1/4 t. salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup oil (canola)
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
3/4 t. vanilla extract

Chocolate sandwich cookies, tops twisted off and reserved

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl; add the hot coffee and let stand a minute or two, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high speed until slightly thickened and pale yellow.  Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, mixing until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed  just until incorporated.  

Place an Oreo half (cream side up) in the bottom of each cupcake liner. (If they float to the top, don't worry - they'll still be wonderful!
Divide the batter evenly, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting: (Read this tutorial.  It made all the difference in my success.)

5 large egg whites

1 cup plus 2 T. sugar

Pinch of salt

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons, room temperature

1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

15-20 reserved cookie tops, crushed in blender or a bag

Chocolate sandwich cookies, cut in half for garnish (optional)

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heat proof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water.  Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips)

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.  Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter 2 Tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.  Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about two minutes.  Scrape down the sides of bowl with a spatula and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth.  Add crushed cookie tops and fold in well.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes with a large open star tip.  Garnish with a half cookie, if desired.  Keep at room temperature if serving soon - refrigerate leftovers overnight and bring back to room temp. before serving. 

Linked to Trick or Treat Tuesday and Crazy Sweet Tuesday

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Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad

 When I first made this Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad, my husband said, "You have to blog about this!"  That, my friends, is super high praise from my husband, whose usual response to food he likes is a simple "It's good."  If I get an "it's good" from my husband, I know I have a winner.  Of course, it was at his request that this particular pasta salad was created.

So how did this receiver-of-hubby-high-praise come to be?  Well, not far from our church is a grocery store that has a salad bar.  Quite often on our way home from church on Sunday, we stop there and grab a quick salad for lunch.  One day they had a pasta salad chock full of sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella (two of hubby's favorites), dressed simply with olive oil.  Mark took a big ol' scoop.

After about two bites, Mark looked at me and said, "Can you make this?"  Well, you all know how I love to figure out recipes ... so of course I said, "I think I can figure something out."

And I did. 

So much so that this pasta salad has now become a household staple.  And it gets Mark's super high praise every time!

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad

Source:  A Tracey original, inspired by a local grocery store salad bar

Ingredients

About 10 oz. cavatappi or rotini pasta

1 (8 oz.) jar sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, slightly drained and julienned

1 (12 oz.) jar marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained

1 c. green olives, halved

About 10 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
3 T. red wine vinegar
About 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt


Directions
1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

2.  In a large bowl, combine sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green olives, mozzarella cheese, and basil.  Add pasta; toss to combine.  Add red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil.  Mix well.

3.  Refrigerate for about an hour before serving. 

4.  As the salad sits, the pasta absorbs some of the olive oil.  Drizzle with a small amount of additional olive oil and toss just before serving if salad needs to be 'moistened.'

Notes:
- Whole wheat pasta can be used, no problem.
- You don't have to bother to drain the sun dried tomatoes much.  The olive oil they're packed in brings fabulous flavor to the salad.
- For large artichoke quarters, I cut them in half ... so I guess that makes them 8ths!

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Trick or Treat Tuesday hosted by Inside BruCrew Life, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree, Show & Share hosted by Southern Lovely, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round-Up.

 When I first made this Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad, my husband said, "You have to blog about this!"  That, my friends, is super high praise from my husband, whose usual response to food he likes is a simple "It's good."  If I get an "it's good" from my husband, I know I have a winner.  Of course, it was at his request that this particular pasta salad was created.

So how did this receiver-of-hubby-high-praise come to be?  Well, not far from our church is a grocery store that has a salad bar.  Quite often on our way home from church on Sunday, we stop there and grab a quick salad for lunch.  One day they had a pasta salad chock full of sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella (two of hubby's favorites), dressed simply with olive oil.  Mark took a big ol' scoop.

After about two bites, Mark looked at me and said, "Can you make this?"  Well, you all know how I love to figure out recipes ... so of course I said, "I think I can figure something out."

And I did. 

So much so that this pasta salad has now become a household staple.  And it gets Mark's super high praise every time!

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad

Source:  A Tracey original, inspired by a local grocery store salad bar

Ingredients

About 10 oz. cavatappi or rotini pasta

1 (8 oz.) jar sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, slightly drained and julienned

1 (12 oz.) jar marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained

1 c. green olives, halved

About 10 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
3 T. red wine vinegar
About 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt


Directions
1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water.

2.  In a large bowl, combine sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green olives, mozzarella cheese, and basil.  Add pasta; toss to combine.  Add red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil.  Mix well.

3.  Refrigerate for about an hour before serving. 

4.  As the salad sits, the pasta absorbs some of the olive oil.  Drizzle with a small amount of additional olive oil and toss just before serving if salad needs to be 'moistened.'

Notes:
- Whole wheat pasta can be used, no problem.
- You don't have to bother to drain the sun dried tomatoes much.  The olive oil they're packed in brings fabulous flavor to the salad.
- For large artichoke quarters, I cut them in half ... so I guess that makes them 8ths!

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Trick or Treat Tuesday hosted by Inside BruCrew Life, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree, Show & Share hosted by Southern Lovely, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round-Up.

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German Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

So these cookies are to die for!  They are soft & chocolatey (cookie), cool & creamy (ice cream), crunchy & sweet (coconut).  I had been craving german chocolate anything & these sure hit the spot!  In my opinion they are best served soft & freshly made, but they are also amazing to make and freeze individually wrapped.  Then you can pull one from your freezer anytime you want a sweet treat!  I must say, this is one of my best ideas yet!

German Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Recipe partially from allrecipes & adapted by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup & 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup dark/semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, & salt. Stir lightly with a fork.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, cream butter & sugars.  Scrape bowl.  Add vanilla, & egg.  Mix well.  Scrape bowl.
3. Add prepared dry ingredients slowly until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop into tablespoonfuls & place on a greased cookie sheet.  Lightly press tops down until about 3/4" thick.
5. Bake at 350*F for 8-10 minutes.  Just until done; cookies are puffed & centers are set, but still soft.  Do not over-bake!  Allow to cool completely & remove from tray.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen (+) cookies.

Ice Cream Sandwiches:

• Prepared Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• 1/2 cup Toasted Coconut 
• Place sweetened shredded coconut flakes on a cookie sheet in a 350*F oven.  Stir every 1 min 30 seconds for about 7 min 30 seconds.  Might be less depending on the oven.  Stay close & keep an eye on it.  It toasts fast once it starts getting toasty.
• Praline Pecan Ice Cream

1. Place a scoop of ice cream between two double chocolate chip cookies.  Squeeze gently until ice cream meets the edges.  Roll edges in toasted coconut.  Serve immediately.  

So these cookies are to die for!  They are soft & chocolatey (cookie), cool & creamy (ice cream), crunchy & sweet (coconut).  I had been craving german chocolate anything & these sure hit the spot!  In my opinion they are best served soft & freshly made, but they are also amazing to make and freeze individually wrapped.  Then you can pull one from your freezer anytime you want a sweet treat!  I must say, this is one of my best ideas yet!

German Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Recipe partially from allrecipes & adapted by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup & 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup dark/semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, & salt. Stir lightly with a fork.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, cream butter & sugars.  Scrape bowl.  Add vanilla, & egg.  Mix well.  Scrape bowl.
3. Add prepared dry ingredients slowly until incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop into tablespoonfuls & place on a greased cookie sheet.  Lightly press tops down until about 3/4" thick.
5. Bake at 350*F for 8-10 minutes.  Just until done; cookies are puffed & centers are set, but still soft.  Do not over-bake!  Allow to cool completely & remove from tray.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen (+) cookies.

Ice Cream Sandwiches:

• Prepared Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• 1/2 cup Toasted Coconut 
• Place sweetened shredded coconut flakes on a cookie sheet in a 350*F oven.  Stir every 1 min 30 seconds for about 7 min 30 seconds.  Might be less depending on the oven.  Stay close & keep an eye on it.  It toasts fast once it starts getting toasty.
• Praline Pecan Ice Cream

1. Place a scoop of ice cream between two double chocolate chip cookies.  Squeeze gently until ice cream meets the edges.  Roll edges in toasted coconut.  Serve immediately.  

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Kaleidoscope Cookies

A couple weeks back I was at home alone and got a craving for something sweet. I originally was going to pour myself a bowl of my boyfriend's sugar cereal and found the following recipe on the back of the box. It sounded like a much more delicious use for store brand Fruity Pebbles.


It appealed to my inner child for a multitude of reasons. The main reason was, of course, that they were colorful. They were chewy and crisp at the same time, like a perfect oatmeal cookie. Except unlike an oatmeal cookie, there was none of that pesky fiber. They even have that great, somewhat artificial fruit taste that that type of cereal always has. I'm ashamed that this cookie is as great as it is.


Kaleidoscope Cookies
Ingredients

• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups fruity pebbles cereal

Directions

1. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
2. Add in flour and baking powder and mix until incorporated. Fold in fruity pebbles cereal.
3. Scoop cookies onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 325 or until lightly browned around the edges.

A couple weeks back I was at home alone and got a craving for something sweet. I originally was going to pour myself a bowl of my boyfriend's sugar cereal and found the following recipe on the back of the box. It sounded like a much more delicious use for store brand Fruity Pebbles.


It appealed to my inner child for a multitude of reasons. The main reason was, of course, that they were colorful. They were chewy and crisp at the same time, like a perfect oatmeal cookie. Except unlike an oatmeal cookie, there was none of that pesky fiber. They even have that great, somewhat artificial fruit taste that that type of cereal always has. I'm ashamed that this cookie is as great as it is.


Kaleidoscope Cookies
Ingredients

• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups fruity pebbles cereal

Directions

1. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
2. Add in flour and baking powder and mix until incorporated. Fold in fruity pebbles cereal.
3. Scoop cookies onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 325 or until lightly browned around the edges.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Whole Wheat Spinach Bread

I found a recipe for this bread a couple weeks ago. It wasn't an artisan loaf like I usually make. Instead, it was a soft squishy sandwich loaf. It looks a little like rye bread and doesn't have a very strong spinach taste. It's more of a wholesome wheat bread flavor with a slight vegetable aftertaste. It's a pretty tasty all purpose bread.


This recipe has been submitted to Yeastspotting


Whole Wheat Spinach Bread

Ingredients

• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Directions

1. Proof yeast in water with a pinch of sugar.
2. Mix drained spinach, water, yeast, salt, sugar, oil, onion powder and whole wheat flour in mixer for 5 minutes
3. Add all purpose flour half a cup at a time until the dough pulls away for the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes
4. Knead outside the bowl until it’s smooth. Let rise for 45 minutes
5. Divide dough into two pieces. Shape into round or batards and let rise another hour.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slash loaves and bake with steam for 40 minutes. Turn off oven and leave bread inside another 10 minutes.Whole Wheat Spinach Bread

I found a recipe for this bread a couple weeks ago. It wasn't an artisan loaf like I usually make. Instead, it was a soft squishy sandwich loaf. It looks a little like rye bread and doesn't have a very strong spinach taste. It's more of a wholesome wheat bread flavor with a slight vegetable aftertaste. It's a pretty tasty all purpose bread.


This recipe has been submitted to Yeastspotting


Whole Wheat Spinach Bread

Ingredients

• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Directions

1. Proof yeast in water with a pinch of sugar.
2. Mix drained spinach, water, yeast, salt, sugar, oil, onion powder and whole wheat flour in mixer for 5 minutes
3. Add all purpose flour half a cup at a time until the dough pulls away for the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes
4. Knead outside the bowl until it’s smooth. Let rise for 45 minutes
5. Divide dough into two pieces. Shape into round or batards and let rise another hour.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slash loaves and bake with steam for 40 minutes. Turn off oven and leave bread inside another 10 minutes.Whole Wheat Spinach Bread

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Make Ahead Freezer Meals

There are a lot of situations in life that it's nice to be prepared ahead of time.  Sometimes you have a really busy work week, sometimes you are about to have a baby & won't have energy, time or motivation to cook, sometimes you just want a lazy day dinner, or sometimes you are helping out a friend by bringing them a meal they can have later on for whatever their circumstance might be.  


When I was in a married student ward several years ago, I was the compassionate service leader.  Since our ward was so young, we mostly only ever needed to provide meals for new mothers.  I would call people on a list I had previously handed out for volunteers to provide hot or freezer meals for the families.  Most of the time when I would mention the awful word, "freezer meal" the gal on the other end, would panic:


"Uh, I don't know how to make any freezer meals." 
"What kind of foods can you make into a freezer meal?" 
"Um, sure..."(puzzled & confused)


I don't know what scares people about freezer meals, but they are so easy, & make your life simple on the days when you need something quick.  And freezer meals don't just mean lasagna! *Gasp!




To give you some ideas:

• Any soup, stew or chili can be made in bulk & frozen in a gallon freezer bag.
• You can double any casserole recipe, buy some tin foil pans from the dollar store, & make an extra to freeze with foil over the top.
• Pastas, rice, & potatoes all freeze relatively well.
• Crockpot meals are your friend: raw meat, sauce, vegetables, put in a ziplock bag, freeze, done!
• Breakfast burritos, english muffin breakfast sandwiches, pancakes/waffles, muffins, etc all freeze well too.  Freezer meals are not just dinners!

If you are planning on preparing meals ahead of time, pick a day where you can devote to cutting vegetables & preparing dinners to freeze.  Crockpot meals are the fastest to put together because they require the least amount of preparation & don't need the meat to be cooked.  Get the work done, & enjoy the freedom of a made ahead freezer meal.

Check out Once a Month Mom for a TON of great recipes to freeze.

As for me, I had fun putting together four of my favorite meals for one of my husband's co-workers who is due really soon with her fourth baby, so of course she will have her hands full, but she'll be fed well for several days after the baby gets here!

These meals were simple because I did two at a time.  The first two I browned up my hamburger for both at the same time.  The second two, I got a store-bought already cooked rotisserie chicken & split it in half for those recipes.  EASY!

Tator Tot Casserole

Taco Soup

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

Chicken Divan

Another thing to think about when preparing meals to give for families is any bread or sides to go with the dish.  It's always nice to have something extra than just one thing on your plate.  I like to do homemade garlic bread with store bought french bread, wrap it in foil & return it to the bag you bought it in, or bake up some cornbread muffins in cupcake liners & freeze in a ziplock bag, or you can also make your own "Rhodes Rolls" freeze them separately on a lightly floured cookie sheet (see here for some tasty recipes) or you can place them close together in a tin foil round cake pan, let them rise slightly, cover with foil & freeze.  

It's important when giving freezer meals away, to prepare a label that tells them how to cook the freezer meal & or sides.  

Example Label/Instructions:

*ALL MEALS SHOULD BE THAWED IN THE REFRIGERATOR OVERNIGHT.  DEPENDING ON THE SETTING OF YOUR FREEZER, IT MIGHT TAKE UP TO 2 DAYS TO THAW COMPLETELY.  ALSO, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO PLACE THE MEAL ON A LARGE COOKIE SHEET WHILE BAKING BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE FULL & MAY SPILL OVER. 

Tator Tot Casserole

Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  Remove foil last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups & Garlic Bread

Remove foil.  Bake roll-ups at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  Bake Garlic Bread frozen @ 400*F for 9min+ or thawed @ 350*F for 15min+ (Remove foil, separate halves, & place on a cookie sheet before baking.)

Chicken Divan & Dinner Rolls

Remove foil.  Place casserole onto a large baking sheet.  Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  For the Rolls: Replace foil with saran wrap lightly covering rolls.  Let rise in refrigerator overnight.  If they need additional proofing, allow them to rest at room temperature until well raised.  Remove saran wrap & bake rolls at 375* for 10-15 minutes or until tops are browned.  Optional: Brush tops with butter after finished baking.

Taco Soup & Cornbread

Pour contents of pouch into a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or place in a large pot on top of the stove & simmer until heated through stirring occasionally.  For the cornbread: Thaw at room temperature; may heat in the microwave right before eating with soup.  

Generally, casseroles take 30-45 minutes if they are thawed completely.  If they are frozen expect them to take 60-75 minutes in the oven.

Make sure you label everything well.  If you know it's going to get eaten quickly, you don't have to put the date you made it, but if you are holding it in your own freezer for a later date, label it clearly with the date & use it within 3 months.

Well, that is a start to preparing freezer meals.  I hope this helps some of you out!  Don't be afraid of freezer meals.  They really can be almost anything!  

There are a lot of situations in life that it's nice to be prepared ahead of time.  Sometimes you have a really busy work week, sometimes you are about to have a baby & won't have energy, time or motivation to cook, sometimes you just want a lazy day dinner, or sometimes you are helping out a friend by bringing them a meal they can have later on for whatever their circumstance might be.  


When I was in a married student ward several years ago, I was the compassionate service leader.  Since our ward was so young, we mostly only ever needed to provide meals for new mothers.  I would call people on a list I had previously handed out for volunteers to provide hot or freezer meals for the families.  Most of the time when I would mention the awful word, "freezer meal" the gal on the other end, would panic:


"Uh, I don't know how to make any freezer meals." 
"What kind of foods can you make into a freezer meal?" 
"Um, sure..."(puzzled & confused)


I don't know what scares people about freezer meals, but they are so easy, & make your life simple on the days when you need something quick.  And freezer meals don't just mean lasagna! *Gasp!




To give you some ideas:

• Any soup, stew or chili can be made in bulk & frozen in a gallon freezer bag.
• You can double any casserole recipe, buy some tin foil pans from the dollar store, & make an extra to freeze with foil over the top.
• Pastas, rice, & potatoes all freeze relatively well.
• Crockpot meals are your friend: raw meat, sauce, vegetables, put in a ziplock bag, freeze, done!
• Breakfast burritos, english muffin breakfast sandwiches, pancakes/waffles, muffins, etc all freeze well too.  Freezer meals are not just dinners!

If you are planning on preparing meals ahead of time, pick a day where you can devote to cutting vegetables & preparing dinners to freeze.  Crockpot meals are the fastest to put together because they require the least amount of preparation & don't need the meat to be cooked.  Get the work done, & enjoy the freedom of a made ahead freezer meal.

Check out Once a Month Mom for a TON of great recipes to freeze.

As for me, I had fun putting together four of my favorite meals for one of my husband's co-workers who is due really soon with her fourth baby, so of course she will have her hands full, but she'll be fed well for several days after the baby gets here!

These meals were simple because I did two at a time.  The first two I browned up my hamburger for both at the same time.  The second two, I got a store-bought already cooked rotisserie chicken & split it in half for those recipes.  EASY!

Tator Tot Casserole

Taco Soup

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

Chicken Divan

Another thing to think about when preparing meals to give for families is any bread or sides to go with the dish.  It's always nice to have something extra than just one thing on your plate.  I like to do homemade garlic bread with store bought french bread, wrap it in foil & return it to the bag you bought it in, or bake up some cornbread muffins in cupcake liners & freeze in a ziplock bag, or you can also make your own "Rhodes Rolls" freeze them separately on a lightly floured cookie sheet (see here for some tasty recipes) or you can place them close together in a tin foil round cake pan, let them rise slightly, cover with foil & freeze.  

It's important when giving freezer meals away, to prepare a label that tells them how to cook the freezer meal & or sides.  

Example Label/Instructions:

*ALL MEALS SHOULD BE THAWED IN THE REFRIGERATOR OVERNIGHT.  DEPENDING ON THE SETTING OF YOUR FREEZER, IT MIGHT TAKE UP TO 2 DAYS TO THAW COMPLETELY.  ALSO, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO PLACE THE MEAL ON A LARGE COOKIE SHEET WHILE BAKING BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE FULL & MAY SPILL OVER. 

Tator Tot Casserole

Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  Remove foil last 10 minutes to brown the cheese.

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups & Garlic Bread

Remove foil.  Bake roll-ups at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  Bake Garlic Bread frozen @ 400*F for 9min+ or thawed @ 350*F for 15min+ (Remove foil, separate halves, & place on a cookie sheet before baking.)

Chicken Divan & Dinner Rolls

Remove foil.  Place casserole onto a large baking sheet.  Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes or until bubbling & heated through.  For the Rolls: Replace foil with saran wrap lightly covering rolls.  Let rise in refrigerator overnight.  If they need additional proofing, allow them to rest at room temperature until well raised.  Remove saran wrap & bake rolls at 375* for 10-15 minutes or until tops are browned.  Optional: Brush tops with butter after finished baking.

Taco Soup & Cornbread

Pour contents of pouch into a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or place in a large pot on top of the stove & simmer until heated through stirring occasionally.  For the cornbread: Thaw at room temperature; may heat in the microwave right before eating with soup.  

Generally, casseroles take 30-45 minutes if they are thawed completely.  If they are frozen expect them to take 60-75 minutes in the oven.

Make sure you label everything well.  If you know it's going to get eaten quickly, you don't have to put the date you made it, but if you are holding it in your own freezer for a later date, label it clearly with the date & use it within 3 months.

Well, that is a start to preparing freezer meals.  I hope this helps some of you out!  Don't be afraid of freezer meals.  They really can be almost anything!  

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

White Chocolate Popcorn

This is such a fun recipe.

It's quick to throw together, has that irresistible combination of sweet and salty, with the occasional bit of chocolate thrown in for good measure.  How can you go wrong with that?

Now, I will admit that I prefer the Cinnabon Popcorn for overall taste, but this is a great variation that is perfect for barbecues, movie nights, or for packaging up in little cellophane bags to give to friends, as shown here.

Corban and Marissa handed them out to all of their teachers at our home school co-op on the last day, with short hand-written notes attached.  A nice yet affordable token of appreciation.....as we had 12 teachers total to thank!  (I doubled this recipe to make sure we had enough.....we definitely did!)

Recipe: (adapted slightly from Alaska from Scratch)

2/3 cup popcorn kernels
1 cup pretzel sticks, broken
1 cup M&Ms
1 bag (12 oz) white chocolate chips
1 T. shortening
Sprinkles, if desired

Pop corn kernels as you normally do - either in the microwave in a brown paper bag (if you use this method, you'll need to do it in two batches), on the stove top, or with an air popper (our method).

Put the popped corn in a huge bowl.  Add the pretzel sticks.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips with the shortening for a minute, then stir.  If not completely melted, heat again for 15 second intervals, stirring after each one.  When completely smooth, drizzle over the popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.  I drizzle a bit, stir, drizzle some more, stir, and so forth to evenly distribute the chocolate.

Add in the M&Ms and sprinkles if desired and stir some more.

Spread on wax-paper lined cookie sheets to dry.
Store in airtight containers.

This is such a fun recipe.

It's quick to throw together, has that irresistible combination of sweet and salty, with the occasional bit of chocolate thrown in for good measure.  How can you go wrong with that?

Now, I will admit that I prefer the Cinnabon Popcorn for overall taste, but this is a great variation that is perfect for barbecues, movie nights, or for packaging up in little cellophane bags to give to friends, as shown here.

Corban and Marissa handed them out to all of their teachers at our home school co-op on the last day, with short hand-written notes attached.  A nice yet affordable token of appreciation.....as we had 12 teachers total to thank!  (I doubled this recipe to make sure we had enough.....we definitely did!)

Recipe: (adapted slightly from Alaska from Scratch)

2/3 cup popcorn kernels
1 cup pretzel sticks, broken
1 cup M&Ms
1 bag (12 oz) white chocolate chips
1 T. shortening
Sprinkles, if desired

Pop corn kernels as you normally do - either in the microwave in a brown paper bag (if you use this method, you'll need to do it in two batches), on the stove top, or with an air popper (our method).

Put the popped corn in a huge bowl.  Add the pretzel sticks.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips with the shortening for a minute, then stir.  If not completely melted, heat again for 15 second intervals, stirring after each one.  When completely smooth, drizzle over the popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.  I drizzle a bit, stir, drizzle some more, stir, and so forth to evenly distribute the chocolate.

Add in the M&Ms and sprinkles if desired and stir some more.

Spread on wax-paper lined cookie sheets to dry.
Store in airtight containers.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Strawberries with Toffee Sauce

I am into seasonal strawberries right now!  They are so delicious when they're fresh out of the fields, brilliant red all the way through, and practically dripping with sweet juice when you bite into them.

But want to know what makes them even better?  This quick-to-whip-up toffee sauce!  Oh, yes indeed, it does. 

For a really easy, yet impressive and delicious dessert, just slice up some fresh strawberries and drizzle them with a little bit of this rich toffee sauce ... which just so happens to be chock full of tasty little toffee bits.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream or creme freche, and there you have it.  Isn't it pretty?

Don't feel like drizzling?  Oh, then go for the straight dunk!  Mmmm, hmmmm ... dunking whole strawberries was tasty, too.

Either way you dive on into this sauce, trust me ... your tummy will thank you.

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Toffee Sauce

Source:  Adapted from my friend Beth

Ingredients

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. light Karo syrup

2 T. butter

1/2 c. crushed Heath Bars or Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits*

Directions

1.  Combine sugar, whipping cream, Karo syrup, and butter in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, and immediately remove from the heat once it reaches a boil.  Let cool for about 10 minutes.  

2.  Stir in crushed Heath Bars or toffee bits.  

3.  Serve over sliced strawberries, and top with whipped cream or creme freche if desired.

*Note:  Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits can be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store, in the same area as chocolate chips.  Be sure to get the Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, not the plain toffee bits.  You need the milk chocolate on the bits to melt into the sauce.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Crazy Sweet Tuesday  hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Red, White, & Blue Link Party hosted by Mrs. Fox's Sweets, Trick or Treat Tuesday hosted by BruCrew Life. Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatever Goes Wednesday hosted by Someday Crafts, Show & Share hosted by Southern Lovely, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Kitchen Fun & Crafty Friday hosted by Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree, Saturday Dishes.

I am into seasonal strawberries right now!  They are so delicious when they're fresh out of the fields, brilliant red all the way through, and practically dripping with sweet juice when you bite into them.

But want to know what makes them even better?  This quick-to-whip-up toffee sauce!  Oh, yes indeed, it does. 

For a really easy, yet impressive and delicious dessert, just slice up some fresh strawberries and drizzle them with a little bit of this rich toffee sauce ... which just so happens to be chock full of tasty little toffee bits.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream or creme freche, and there you have it.  Isn't it pretty?

Don't feel like drizzling?  Oh, then go for the straight dunk!  Mmmm, hmmmm ... dunking whole strawberries was tasty, too.

Either way you dive on into this sauce, trust me ... your tummy will thank you.

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Toffee Sauce

Source:  Adapted from my friend Beth

Ingredients

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. light Karo syrup

2 T. butter

1/2 c. crushed Heath Bars or Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits*

Directions

1.  Combine sugar, whipping cream, Karo syrup, and butter in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, and immediately remove from the heat once it reaches a boil.  Let cool for about 10 minutes.  

2.  Stir in crushed Heath Bars or toffee bits.  

3.  Serve over sliced strawberries, and top with whipped cream or creme freche if desired.

*Note:  Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits can be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store, in the same area as chocolate chips.  Be sure to get the Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, not the plain toffee bits.  You need the milk chocolate on the bits to melt into the sauce.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Crazy Sweet Tuesday  hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Red, White, & Blue Link Party hosted by Mrs. Fox's Sweets, Trick or Treat Tuesday hosted by BruCrew Life. Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatever Goes Wednesday hosted by Someday Crafts, Show & Share hosted by Southern Lovely, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Kitchen Fun & Crafty Friday hosted by Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Sunday Showcase hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree, Saturday Dishes.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Mini-Vacation Continues.....on to Crabtree Falls

Since we were planning on staying the night around the Staunton area, we wanted something fun and different to do on the way home on Friday.  Knowing that we would be traveling in the Blue Ridge Mountain area, we thought some hiking would be fun.

We had already booked a hotel in Staunton when we found out about Crabtree Falls and decided that would be our destination. 

 Crabtree Falls features a series of five major cascades and a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 feet. It's the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi. 

We thought that sounded pretty awesome. 

So then I found some cabins for rent just down the road from the trailhead.....and we were able to book one and cancel our hotel.  I mean, who wouldn't rather stay in a place like this? 

I can't even describe how excited the kids were about this cabin.  They wanted to stay for a week.  And quite frankly, if we had the time, Grant and I would have loved that as well.

This is the kind of camping I'll do at this stage of life. 

Yes, I'm fully aware this is not camping.

And I'm perfectly fine with that. 

Cute girl.  See the big mess on her right leg?  That's where she knelt down to look at the broilers at Polyface Farm when I wasn't looking and when she got up, I saw she had been kneeling in a pile of cow manure.   Nice.

The furniture on the deck was so comfortable - and the swing was very popular with the girls.

The loft had no doors.....one double bed at that end.....

And a double futon at this end.  Along with a free standing toilet and sink.  I didn't discover the nice little screens they had for some privacy (hidden under the bed) until we were doing our last sweep of the cabin to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything. 

The ladder/staircase was pretty steep.....the kids thought it was great fun. 

(Do you see the spots on Marissa's pants?  Cow manure also. Just thought you'd like to know.)

We had a nice little kitchen, living room, and dining area - and the door at the back leads to the bedroom and bathroom. 

We spend most of our time outside, though.  The weather was perfect camping weather and we had this awesome fire pit....so we ate outside, built the fire, and had some read-aloud time (The Last Battle, Chronicles of Narnia) before it got too dark and then we ate s'mores. 

My studly man......sharpening some sticks to use for roasting marshmallows. 

The flash he used to take this photo was so stinkin' bright! 

Friday morning - we're on our way to hike!

This humongous tree was outside our cabin. 

Us.  ♥

The girls thought the waterfall was a little loud.  So silly. 

Corban was a great hiker - I don't think he even got tired. 

There were several spots to stop on the hike to see the different parts of the Falls. 

At one look-out deck we spotted this little guy.....non-venomous, but we kept our distance anyways.

Another area.....this is looking down.

We made it to the top - 1.7 miles of strenuous climbing.  Grant carried Ellia nearly the entire way (much to her chagrin). 

Funny story:

At one point, after Grant had explained carefully to Ellia (age 2) why she wasn't allowed to walk on the trail because it was so slippery, steep, and difficult and she could never keep up.....and that in a year or two, when she's older, she'll be allowed to walk more on such hikes - she turned to him and seriously remarked,

"Daddy, I three now.  I had my birthday last night."

I think she really thought she would convince him to let her walk after such a statement. 

You couldn't see much of the Falls from the top, but you could see this...... 

(it was hard to believe how high we had climbed!) 

And this.

How 'bout a close up of that pretty flower?  

Another stop-off point to look at more of the Falls. 

On our way down....which was harder in a way because we were all tired, hungry, and more susceptible to slipping on muddy spots and the rocky terrain.  We made much faster time, though. 

This was a little cave area that you could walk though.....the kids really thought it was cool.

The bridge over the river next to the parking lot.

Another shot of the bridge.

And on the side of the parking lot, there stood this lone telephone booth. 

We thought it was so funny.  You don't see many pay phones anymore.  We figured we'd better take a picture next to it so the kids could remember that they've seen one. 

Actually, it is probably used out there, as there is no cell phone service due to the mountains. 

But we still thought it was funny.

Maybe we were just tired.

Since we were planning on staying the night around the Staunton area, we wanted something fun and different to do on the way home on Friday.  Knowing that we would be traveling in the Blue Ridge Mountain area, we thought some hiking would be fun.

We had already booked a hotel in Staunton when we found out about Crabtree Falls and decided that would be our destination. 

 Crabtree Falls features a series of five major cascades and a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 feet. It's the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi. 

We thought that sounded pretty awesome. 

So then I found some cabins for rent just down the road from the trailhead.....and we were able to book one and cancel our hotel.  I mean, who wouldn't rather stay in a place like this? 

I can't even describe how excited the kids were about this cabin.  They wanted to stay for a week.  And quite frankly, if we had the time, Grant and I would have loved that as well.

This is the kind of camping I'll do at this stage of life. 

Yes, I'm fully aware this is not camping.

And I'm perfectly fine with that. 

Cute girl.  See the big mess on her right leg?  That's where she knelt down to look at the broilers at Polyface Farm when I wasn't looking and when she got up, I saw she had been kneeling in a pile of cow manure.   Nice.

The furniture on the deck was so comfortable - and the swing was very popular with the girls.

The loft had no doors.....one double bed at that end.....

And a double futon at this end.  Along with a free standing toilet and sink.  I didn't discover the nice little screens they had for some privacy (hidden under the bed) until we were doing our last sweep of the cabin to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything. 

The ladder/staircase was pretty steep.....the kids thought it was great fun. 

(Do you see the spots on Marissa's pants?  Cow manure also. Just thought you'd like to know.)

We had a nice little kitchen, living room, and dining area - and the door at the back leads to the bedroom and bathroom. 

We spend most of our time outside, though.  The weather was perfect camping weather and we had this awesome fire pit....so we ate outside, built the fire, and had some read-aloud time (The Last Battle, Chronicles of Narnia) before it got too dark and then we ate s'mores. 

My studly man......sharpening some sticks to use for roasting marshmallows. 

The flash he used to take this photo was so stinkin' bright! 

Friday morning - we're on our way to hike!

This humongous tree was outside our cabin. 

Us.  ♥

The girls thought the waterfall was a little loud.  So silly. 

Corban was a great hiker - I don't think he even got tired. 

There were several spots to stop on the hike to see the different parts of the Falls. 

At one look-out deck we spotted this little guy.....non-venomous, but we kept our distance anyways.

Another area.....this is looking down.

We made it to the top - 1.7 miles of strenuous climbing.  Grant carried Ellia nearly the entire way (much to her chagrin). 

Funny story:

At one point, after Grant had explained carefully to Ellia (age 2) why she wasn't allowed to walk on the trail because it was so slippery, steep, and difficult and she could never keep up.....and that in a year or two, when she's older, she'll be allowed to walk more on such hikes - she turned to him and seriously remarked,

"Daddy, I three now.  I had my birthday last night."

I think she really thought she would convince him to let her walk after such a statement. 

You couldn't see much of the Falls from the top, but you could see this...... 

(it was hard to believe how high we had climbed!) 

And this.

How 'bout a close up of that pretty flower?  

Another stop-off point to look at more of the Falls. 

On our way down....which was harder in a way because we were all tired, hungry, and more susceptible to slipping on muddy spots and the rocky terrain.  We made much faster time, though. 

This was a little cave area that you could walk though.....the kids really thought it was cool.

The bridge over the river next to the parking lot.

Another shot of the bridge.

And on the side of the parking lot, there stood this lone telephone booth. 

We thought it was so funny.  You don't see many pay phones anymore.  We figured we'd better take a picture next to it so the kids could remember that they've seen one. 

Actually, it is probably used out there, as there is no cell phone service due to the mountains. 

But we still thought it was funny.

Maybe we were just tired.

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