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Homemade Meals from McCormick - Taco Casserole

This post brought to you by McCormick & Company. All opinions are 100% mine.
McCormick Taco Casserole1
Sometimes I get tired of cooking.  Especially at the end of the day when the kids are going crazy & my husband's not quite home from work yet.  It's those times when the kids are screaming & I am trying to get around the kitchen to cook dinner with one kid hanging onto my leg, that I wish we could just go out to eat.  Then I realize, not everything has to be "from scratch" to be "homemade."  Thanks to McCormick, we had a fabulous homemade dinner the other night using McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix.  Combine that taco mix with some ground beef & a few cans of ingredients like pinto beans, mexicorn, & tomato sauce.  Top it all off with cheese & tortilla chips & we had a super quick & delicious dinner on the table in no time!  Just check out my instagram video about it:
McCormick Taco Casserole2
I mean, who doesn't love to eat chips with their dinner?  My kids were jumping for joy when they saw that dinner was "jelly beans" & "chippies."  And my kids don't always eat ground beef, especially taco meat, but they gobbled this one up!  We added sour cream & green onions to ours.  Sliced black olives would be delicious too!  
Want the recipe?  Just click this link for 
McCormick Taco Casserole3
You can visit McCormick.com for more homemade dinner ideas!  I don't know about you, but I love McCormick spices!   And now I am giving you a chance to win a McCormick gift set!!!  
To enter, just COMMENT on this post & tell me:
What's your favorite McCormick Spice? **OR** Which McCormick recipe are you interested in trying from McCormick.com?
Then fill out the rafflecopter form & you are entered!  You have until midnight Friday October 4th to enter!  Good luck!
This post brought to you by McCormick & Company. All opinions are 100% mine.
McCormick Taco Casserole1
Sometimes I get tired of cooking.  Especially at the end of the day when the kids are going crazy & my husband's not quite home from work yet.  It's those times when the kids are screaming & I am trying to get around the kitchen to cook dinner with one kid hanging onto my leg, that I wish we could just go out to eat.  Then I realize, not everything has to be "from scratch" to be "homemade."  Thanks to McCormick, we had a fabulous homemade dinner the other night using McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix.  Combine that taco mix with some ground beef & a few cans of ingredients like pinto beans, mexicorn, & tomato sauce.  Top it all off with cheese & tortilla chips & we had a super quick & delicious dinner on the table in no time!  Just check out my instagram video about it:
McCormick Taco Casserole2
I mean, who doesn't love to eat chips with their dinner?  My kids were jumping for joy when they saw that dinner was "jelly beans" & "chippies."  And my kids don't always eat ground beef, especially taco meat, but they gobbled this one up!  We added sour cream & green onions to ours.  Sliced black olives would be delicious too!  
Want the recipe?  Just click this link for 
McCormick Taco Casserole3
You can visit McCormick.com for more homemade dinner ideas!  I don't know about you, but I love McCormick spices!   And now I am giving you a chance to win a McCormick gift set!!!  
To enter, just COMMENT on this post & tell me:
What's your favorite McCormick Spice? **OR** Which McCormick recipe are you interested in trying from McCormick.com?
Then fill out the rafflecopter form & you are entered!  You have until midnight Friday October 4th to enter!  Good luck!
reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Beefy Nacho Soup


Are you guys sick of soup yet?  I hope not, because I have got more coming!!!  This one could not be any easier & it is bursting with flavor!  My kids really liked this one, which surprises me because my son in particular hates ground beef.  My husband was super excited to take the leftovers to work the next day as well.  There is no reason not to try this soup during the cold weather months.  It's too easy & too good not to!  Let me know what you think :)



Beefy Nacho Soup
Recipe from The Recipe Critic & altered by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning or 4 Tbsp Homemade Taco Mix
  • 1 (10.75oz) can nacho cheese soup
  • 1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup shredded medium/sharp cheddar cheese
  1. In a large stock pot, brown beef, drain fat & return beef to the pan.  
  2. Add taco seasoning, nacho cheese soup, tomatoes, chiles, milk & cheese.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve hot with extra cheese, sour cream, & tortilla chips.

    Are you guys sick of soup yet?  I hope not, because I have got more coming!!!  This one could not be any easier & it is bursting with flavor!  My kids really liked this one, which surprises me because my son in particular hates ground beef.  My husband was super excited to take the leftovers to work the next day as well.  There is no reason not to try this soup during the cold weather months.  It's too easy & too good not to!  Let me know what you think :)



    Beefy Nacho Soup
    Recipe from The Recipe Critic & altered by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 packet taco seasoning or 4 Tbsp Homemade Taco Mix
    • 1 (10.75oz) can nacho cheese soup
    • 1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes
    • 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
    • 1 1/2 cups milk
    • 3/4 cup shredded medium/sharp cheddar cheese
    1. In a large stock pot, brown beef, drain fat & return beef to the pan.  
    2. Add taco seasoning, nacho cheese soup, tomatoes, chiles, milk & cheese.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve hot with extra cheese, sour cream, & tortilla chips.
      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Fresh Green Bean, Walnut, & Feta Salad

      Fresh Green Bean, Walnut, and Feta Cheese Salad dressed with olive oil and fresh mint vinaigrette. It may sound bizarre, but it's one amazingly delicious flavor combination!


      The flavor combination of this salad may sound a tad bit, well ... strange ... to some, but believe me, it's aMAZing. The snap of fresh green beans, with the crunch of chopped walnuts, the saltiness of crumbled Feta, and refreshing zing of fresh mint pair just beautifully. In a most surprisingly wonderful way.
      Continue Reading >>
      Fresh Green Bean, Walnut, and Feta Cheese Salad dressed with olive oil and fresh mint vinaigrette. It may sound bizarre, but it's one amazingly delicious flavor combination!


      The flavor combination of this salad may sound a tad bit, well ... strange ... to some, but believe me, it's aMAZing. The snap of fresh green beans, with the crunch of chopped walnuts, the saltiness of crumbled Feta, and refreshing zing of fresh mint pair just beautifully. In a most surprisingly wonderful way.
      Continue Reading >>
      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Sweet & Savory Saturdays #32



      Hey ladies!  I am so glad it's the weekend!  First off, I wanted to THANK YOU all for the kind comments you left in congratulating my husband on finishing his masters degree!  He is officially done, & doesn't know what to do with his spare time now!  Haha.  He is actually helping a lot more around the house, now that he has time, & he enjoys being able to do that for me.  He is also playing a lot with the kids & I know they have missed that.  He is the BEST!  

      As always, thanks for linking up with me!  I have a LOT of features this week, & each of them will be pinned to my favorite collaborative board.  So thanks for all your hard work & sharing your recipes here at Sweet & Savory Saturdays!






















      *Grab a Button if you were featured today!*

      Dessert Now, Dinner Later!


      Party Guidelines:
      1. PLEASE Follow Dessert Now, Dinner Later! on Facebook or any social media.
      2. PLEASE Grab a Sweet & Savory Saturdays Button from my "Grab a Button" page at the top & post it to your Link Parties page or link back to my blog within the recipe post.
      3. PLEASE Only link up to specific recipes.  Also, NO giveaways, sales/promotions, etsy, or link parties.
      4. PLEASE Visit the 2 links before yours & leave some comment LOVE.  Have fun! 


      Hey ladies!  I am so glad it's the weekend!  First off, I wanted to THANK YOU all for the kind comments you left in congratulating my husband on finishing his masters degree!  He is officially done, & doesn't know what to do with his spare time now!  Haha.  He is actually helping a lot more around the house, now that he has time, & he enjoys being able to do that for me.  He is also playing a lot with the kids & I know they have missed that.  He is the BEST!  

      As always, thanks for linking up with me!  I have a LOT of features this week, & each of them will be pinned to my favorite collaborative board.  So thanks for all your hard work & sharing your recipes here at Sweet & Savory Saturdays!






















      *Grab a Button if you were featured today!*

      Dessert Now, Dinner Later!


      Party Guidelines:
      1. PLEASE Follow Dessert Now, Dinner Later! on Facebook or any social media.
      2. PLEASE Grab a Sweet & Savory Saturdays Button from my "Grab a Button" page at the top & post it to your Link Parties page or link back to my blog within the recipe post.
      3. PLEASE Only link up to specific recipes.  Also, NO giveaways, sales/promotions, etsy, or link parties.
      4. PLEASE Visit the 2 links before yours & leave some comment LOVE.  Have fun! 
      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Chocolate Banana Muffins with Peanut Butter Chips



      There are some things you can just never have too many of.

      Spoons.
      Towels.
      Socks.
      Chocolate chips.
      Vacation days.
      Checks in the mail.
      and
      Banana recipes.

      Because I know we're not the only family who never seems to eat all the bananas while they're in their prime (you know, that 2 day window) and before you know it, there's a pile of squishy, brown bananas languishing on the counter and you know nobody's touching them as is.

      So we make banana bread, banana muffins, banana cake, freeze them for smoothies, etc etc etc.

      But because it happens every.single.week., there may be certain people in the family who tire of the same recipes. There's even one individual around here who has decided he doesn't even like banana baked goods any more.  (ahem. Corban.)

      Enter these muffins.

      Corban looked at them skeptically and queried, "Do they have bananas in them?" before trying one because he knew that I sneak bananas into lots of breakfast options.
      I admitted they did, but convinced him to try one. Admittedly, it didn't take much convincing because they do have peanut butter chips, after all.

      He said they were the best banana muffins ever.

      You might even say they're similar to cake, but since there's no frosting, I insist that they're muffins and therefore completely suitable for breakfast.

      So between my 5 kids and me, we ate 14 of the 20 muffins in one morning. I only ate 2.  And truth be told, we probably could have demolished the whole batch if I hadn't made them stop.

      Yep, that's a successful muffin.

      Chocolate Banana Muffins with Peanut Butter Chips
      Slightly adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

      Yield: about 20 muffins

      1 cup whole wheat flour
      1/2 cup all purpose flour
      2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      1 tsp. baking soda
      1/2 tsp. salt
      1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
      1/2 cup yogurt (vanilla or plain - or use sour cream.)
      3/4 cup expeller pressed coconut oil (or room temperature butter)
      1 cup granulated sugar
      1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
      3 large eggs
      1 1/4 cups peanut butter chips, divided

      Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.

      In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl or large plate, mash the bananas well and combine with yogurt, stirring until combined.

      In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the oil (or butter) and both sugars on medium speed until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients followed by the banana mixture and then the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give one final stir.  Add 1 cup of the peanut butter chips.

      Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4-full.  Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter chips over the top of the muffins.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then removed them to the rack to finish cooling.



      There are some things you can just never have too many of.

      Spoons.
      Towels.
      Socks.
      Chocolate chips.
      Vacation days.
      Checks in the mail.
      and
      Banana recipes.

      Because I know we're not the only family who never seems to eat all the bananas while they're in their prime (you know, that 2 day window) and before you know it, there's a pile of squishy, brown bananas languishing on the counter and you know nobody's touching them as is.

      So we make banana bread, banana muffins, banana cake, freeze them for smoothies, etc etc etc.

      But because it happens every.single.week., there may be certain people in the family who tire of the same recipes. There's even one individual around here who has decided he doesn't even like banana baked goods any more.  (ahem. Corban.)

      Enter these muffins.

      Corban looked at them skeptically and queried, "Do they have bananas in them?" before trying one because he knew that I sneak bananas into lots of breakfast options.
      I admitted they did, but convinced him to try one. Admittedly, it didn't take much convincing because they do have peanut butter chips, after all.

      He said they were the best banana muffins ever.

      You might even say they're similar to cake, but since there's no frosting, I insist that they're muffins and therefore completely suitable for breakfast.

      So between my 5 kids and me, we ate 14 of the 20 muffins in one morning. I only ate 2.  And truth be told, we probably could have demolished the whole batch if I hadn't made them stop.

      Yep, that's a successful muffin.

      Chocolate Banana Muffins with Peanut Butter Chips
      Slightly adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

      Yield: about 20 muffins

      1 cup whole wheat flour
      1/2 cup all purpose flour
      2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      1 tsp. baking soda
      1/2 tsp. salt
      1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
      1/2 cup yogurt (vanilla or plain - or use sour cream.)
      3/4 cup expeller pressed coconut oil (or room temperature butter)
      1 cup granulated sugar
      1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
      3 large eggs
      1 1/4 cups peanut butter chips, divided

      Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.

      In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl or large plate, mash the bananas well and combine with yogurt, stirring until combined.

      In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the oil (or butter) and both sugars on medium speed until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients followed by the banana mixture and then the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give one final stir.  Add 1 cup of the peanut butter chips.

      Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4-full.  Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter chips over the top of the muffins.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes, then removed them to the rack to finish cooling.

      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Apple Cinnamon Muddy Buddies

       
      It's time for some more muddy buddy treats!  I love these little things, probably too much!  Like, they are so yummy to munch on that I eat too many most of the time.  And I may or may not eat so many that my tummy aches a little bit....(Who me?!)  This is a Fall variation.  It was either Apple or Pumpkin & I went with Apple this time, but don't be surprised if you see a Pumpkin variation later on down the road.  These are a great little after school snack for my kids to munch on while I cook dinner, but that's like eating dessert before dinner, so I guess that makes me a bad mom... or a cool mom!  Haha.  Enjoy!


      Apple Cinnamon Muddy Buddies
      Recipe adapted from A Pumpkin & A Princess by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
      • 1 (10-12oz) bag white chocolate chips
      • 1 Tbsp shortening
      • 5-6 cups Apple Cinnamon Chex Cereal
      • 1 (7oz) box Jiffy Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix (about 1 1/4 cup)
      • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
      • 1 tsp cinnamon
      • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

      1. Melt white chocolate chips with shortening in a LARGE bowl in the microwave on HALF POWER for 60 seconds.  Stir.  Repeat until melted.  (Mine took 2 minutes.)
      2. Add the Chex cereal to the melted chips & fold gently.
      3. In a gallon size zip-top bag combine, muffin mix, powdered sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg.  Add the white chocolate coated cereal, zip the bag shut & shake until everything is covered with the dry mixture.  
      4. Snack away!!!
       
      It's time for some more muddy buddy treats!  I love these little things, probably too much!  Like, they are so yummy to munch on that I eat too many most of the time.  And I may or may not eat so many that my tummy aches a little bit....(Who me?!)  This is a Fall variation.  It was either Apple or Pumpkin & I went with Apple this time, but don't be surprised if you see a Pumpkin variation later on down the road.  These are a great little after school snack for my kids to munch on while I cook dinner, but that's like eating dessert before dinner, so I guess that makes me a bad mom... or a cool mom!  Haha.  Enjoy!


      Apple Cinnamon Muddy Buddies
      Recipe adapted from A Pumpkin & A Princess by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
      • 1 (10-12oz) bag white chocolate chips
      • 1 Tbsp shortening
      • 5-6 cups Apple Cinnamon Chex Cereal
      • 1 (7oz) box Jiffy Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix (about 1 1/4 cup)
      • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
      • 1 tsp cinnamon
      • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

      1. Melt white chocolate chips with shortening in a LARGE bowl in the microwave on HALF POWER for 60 seconds.  Stir.  Repeat until melted.  (Mine took 2 minutes.)
      2. Add the Chex cereal to the melted chips & fold gently.
      3. In a gallon size zip-top bag combine, muffin mix, powdered sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg.  Add the white chocolate coated cereal, zip the bag shut & shake until everything is covered with the dry mixture.  
      4. Snack away!!!
      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Pug Cake and Birthday Party


      Our middle child, Annika, turned 6 earlier this month.

      Yikes!  How did that happen?

      Although she had given me numerous ideas for what kind of cake she wanted, I knew there was really only one choice.  A Pug Cake.  Annika has adored pugs ever since she watched "Milo and Otis" a couple of years ago.  Her favorite birthday gift last year was a Webkinz pug, whom she named Otis, and he's her most cherished stuffed animals (of many).

      So I didn't want to make a fondant covered cake or just draw a picture of a pug, although the latter did cross my mind.  Nope, when I saw this cake, I  knew it was the one I had to try.  I don't think mine turned out as cute, to be quite honest, but it's all good.

      So here's the breakdown.

      You'll need:
      2 9" round cakes
      1 8"square cake
      Buttercream frosting 
        *2 cups butter, softened
        *8 cups powdered sugar
        *1/4-1/2 cup cream or milk
        *1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
        *1/4 tsp. almond extract
        *dash salt
        *Cocoa powder and food coloring (I use Wilton)

          Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.  Add powdered sugar gradually.  Mix in
          1/4 cup cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add additional cream
          or milk to achieve desired piping consistency.
          Separate into bowls and tint as desired.
          I tinted most of mine tan with a little bit of sifted cocoa powder.  A small part I added a lot more cocoa
          powder  (plus a little more cream) to make the dark mouth area, and added some black food coloring
          to part of that to make the ears, eyes, and nose.

      I always freeze my cakes so they're easier to carve without falling apart.  I used 1-1/3 of this recipe to make my cakes. It's a delicious and moist cake that is also fairly sturdy and doesn't crumble too easily.
       
      So here's how you cut it.

      Take one of the round cakes and carve out sections to shape ears and the face.

      From your square cake, carve out a niche for the head to rest into.  Cut a little off the corners to make rounded shoulders.

      Use the other round cake to carve out the legs and paws.  I didn't do perfectly with that and ended up having to stick some scraps to the cake to make the shape I wanted....but when it was frosted, nobody was the wiser.


      I just used a basic star tip (Wilton # 17, I think) to pipe all over the cake.  I didn't even bother with a crumb coat.  I used a small round tip to pipe the outlines of the legs with the dark brown frosting. 
      For the nose area, I piped lots of extra frosting to mount it up more 3D like - it's kind of hard to tell from the photo. 



      Sooooo......onto the rest of the party.  

      I made a double batch of Puppy Chow and saved part for the party, but packaged the rest up in little cellophane bags to put in the goody bags for the guests.  Annika cut out some little bones and we stapled them onto the bags.  Cute!


      In the goody bags, I also included some Sugar Cookie Dog Houses  (there were Dog bones as seen above in the cake photo for eating at the party), a ball, and some random candies that Annika picked out. 
      I dressed up some white paper bags with a little bit of dog paw scrapbook paper before writing their names on them. 


      Probably the funnest activity of the party was the Treasure Hunt.  I wrote little riddle clues and printed them out on dog paw graphics and hid them in their proper places around the yard (under a picnic table, behind the grill, in the playhouse, in the mailbox, etc).  Each clue led them to the next one - and the final clue led them back inside to find their goody bags hidden under the dining table.  :)  The girls LOVED it. 


      I found this Photo Collage Banner idea from this blog - and absolutely adored it. She gave perfect instructions on how to do it - I'll be making more for my other kids' birthdays.  I wish I had taken a picture of Annika's face when she came downstairs and saw this on the wall - she was soooooo delighted.  


      The cake table - also decorated with dog bones that we used for a "Musical Bones" (instead of musical chairs) game.  I taped them on the floor and when the music stopped, the girls had to get on a bone.  Nobody got eliminated, but as I removed the bones each time, the girls had to cram onto the remaining bones.  It got pretty funny by the end when there was only 1 bone left. :) 


      Annika got baby pug (Otis Jr) that morning before the party - and she decorated a box for his doghouse and set both of her pups on the table with some of the bone cookies.  So cute!


      Happy Birthday to our sweet girl! 


      Our middle child, Annika, turned 6 earlier this month.

      Yikes!  How did that happen?

      Although she had given me numerous ideas for what kind of cake she wanted, I knew there was really only one choice.  A Pug Cake.  Annika has adored pugs ever since she watched "Milo and Otis" a couple of years ago.  Her favorite birthday gift last year was a Webkinz pug, whom she named Otis, and he's her most cherished stuffed animals (of many).

      So I didn't want to make a fondant covered cake or just draw a picture of a pug, although the latter did cross my mind.  Nope, when I saw this cake, I  knew it was the one I had to try.  I don't think mine turned out as cute, to be quite honest, but it's all good.

      So here's the breakdown.

      You'll need:
      2 9" round cakes
      1 8"square cake
      Buttercream frosting 
        *2 cups butter, softened
        *8 cups powdered sugar
        *1/4-1/2 cup cream or milk
        *1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
        *1/4 tsp. almond extract
        *dash salt
        *Cocoa powder and food coloring (I use Wilton)

          Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.  Add powdered sugar gradually.  Mix in
          1/4 cup cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add additional cream
          or milk to achieve desired piping consistency.
          Separate into bowls and tint as desired.
          I tinted most of mine tan with a little bit of sifted cocoa powder.  A small part I added a lot more cocoa
          powder  (plus a little more cream) to make the dark mouth area, and added some black food coloring
          to part of that to make the ears, eyes, and nose.

      I always freeze my cakes so they're easier to carve without falling apart.  I used 1-1/3 of this recipe to make my cakes. It's a delicious and moist cake that is also fairly sturdy and doesn't crumble too easily.
       
      So here's how you cut it.

      Take one of the round cakes and carve out sections to shape ears and the face.

      From your square cake, carve out a niche for the head to rest into.  Cut a little off the corners to make rounded shoulders.

      Use the other round cake to carve out the legs and paws.  I didn't do perfectly with that and ended up having to stick some scraps to the cake to make the shape I wanted....but when it was frosted, nobody was the wiser.


      I just used a basic star tip (Wilton # 17, I think) to pipe all over the cake.  I didn't even bother with a crumb coat.  I used a small round tip to pipe the outlines of the legs with the dark brown frosting. 
      For the nose area, I piped lots of extra frosting to mount it up more 3D like - it's kind of hard to tell from the photo. 



      Sooooo......onto the rest of the party.  

      I made a double batch of Puppy Chow and saved part for the party, but packaged the rest up in little cellophane bags to put in the goody bags for the guests.  Annika cut out some little bones and we stapled them onto the bags.  Cute!


      In the goody bags, I also included some Sugar Cookie Dog Houses  (there were Dog bones as seen above in the cake photo for eating at the party), a ball, and some random candies that Annika picked out. 
      I dressed up some white paper bags with a little bit of dog paw scrapbook paper before writing their names on them. 


      Probably the funnest activity of the party was the Treasure Hunt.  I wrote little riddle clues and printed them out on dog paw graphics and hid them in their proper places around the yard (under a picnic table, behind the grill, in the playhouse, in the mailbox, etc).  Each clue led them to the next one - and the final clue led them back inside to find their goody bags hidden under the dining table.  :)  The girls LOVED it. 


      I found this Photo Collage Banner idea from this blog - and absolutely adored it. She gave perfect instructions on how to do it - I'll be making more for my other kids' birthdays.  I wish I had taken a picture of Annika's face when she came downstairs and saw this on the wall - she was soooooo delighted.  


      The cake table - also decorated with dog bones that we used for a "Musical Bones" (instead of musical chairs) game.  I taped them on the floor and when the music stopped, the girls had to get on a bone.  Nobody got eliminated, but as I removed the bones each time, the girls had to cram onto the remaining bones.  It got pretty funny by the end when there was only 1 bone left. :) 


      Annika got baby pug (Otis Jr) that morning before the party - and she decorated a box for his doghouse and set both of her pups on the table with some of the bone cookies.  So cute!


      Happy Birthday to our sweet girl! 

      reade more... Résuméabuiyad

      Chicken Fiesta Bake

      I am usually excited to share each of my recipes with you all, but with this one I am over the top excited to share with you today!  Like the simplicity of the recipe, combined with the beautiful colors & mexican flavors make this dish a winner in my book!


      And since this recipe requires an oven, this is the perfect time of year to make it now that things are cooling off.  I am seriously in love with this dish!  Have I mentioned before that I love mexican flavors?  Well, I do, & this hits the spot right on!  Just look at how pretty this casserole is!!!  Well, I think it's pretty.  Bright, bold & beautiful!




      This dish is not all about the looks either.  Do you want to know how easy this recipe is?  So easy that you throw it all in the dish, top it with chicken & seasonings & throw it in the oven!  Talk about the perfect weeknight meal!  I will be making this again & again!  It makes a lot for our young family of 4, but my husband & I can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day, which I don't mind at all!!!  Love this dish!






      Chicken Fiesta Bake
      Recipe adapted from Pace Foods by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
      • 1 (16oz) jar medium salsa (I prefer the "fresher" refrigerated salsas)
      • 1/3 cup water
      • 1 can corn, undrained
      • 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
      • 1 cup of long grain white rice
      • 1 tsp kosher salt
      • 2-3 chicken breasts, sliced in half width-wise to make 4-6 chicken breasts (I recommend doing 3 breasts cut in half because it's a lot of rice mixture.)
      • Cajun or Taco Seasoning
      • 1/2 cup + medium cheddar cheese
      • Green onions, diced
      1. Grease a 9x13" pan with cooking spray.  Dump salsa, water, corn, beans, rice, & salt into the pan.  Stir together.
      2. Place chicken breasts on top.  Season generously with cajun or taco seasoning.
      3. Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.  Sprinkle with cheese & return to oven for 3-5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Top with freshly chopped green onions.
        I am usually excited to share each of my recipes with you all, but with this one I am over the top excited to share with you today!  Like the simplicity of the recipe, combined with the beautiful colors & mexican flavors make this dish a winner in my book!


        And since this recipe requires an oven, this is the perfect time of year to make it now that things are cooling off.  I am seriously in love with this dish!  Have I mentioned before that I love mexican flavors?  Well, I do, & this hits the spot right on!  Just look at how pretty this casserole is!!!  Well, I think it's pretty.  Bright, bold & beautiful!




        This dish is not all about the looks either.  Do you want to know how easy this recipe is?  So easy that you throw it all in the dish, top it with chicken & seasonings & throw it in the oven!  Talk about the perfect weeknight meal!  I will be making this again & again!  It makes a lot for our young family of 4, but my husband & I can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day, which I don't mind at all!!!  Love this dish!






        Chicken Fiesta Bake
        Recipe adapted from Pace Foods by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
        • 1 (16oz) jar medium salsa (I prefer the "fresher" refrigerated salsas)
        • 1/3 cup water
        • 1 can corn, undrained
        • 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
        • 1 cup of long grain white rice
        • 1 tsp kosher salt
        • 2-3 chicken breasts, sliced in half width-wise to make 4-6 chicken breasts (I recommend doing 3 breasts cut in half because it's a lot of rice mixture.)
        • Cajun or Taco Seasoning
        • 1/2 cup + medium cheddar cheese
        • Green onions, diced
        1. Grease a 9x13" pan with cooking spray.  Dump salsa, water, corn, beans, rice, & salt into the pan.  Stir together.
        2. Place chicken breasts on top.  Season generously with cajun or taco seasoning.
        3. Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.  Sprinkle with cheese & return to oven for 3-5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Top with freshly chopped green onions.
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          Pumpkin Biscuits {with Pecan-Honey Butter}

          Welcome Fall with scrumptious Pumpkin Biscuits, smeared with delicious Pecan-Honey Butter.

          Happy Fall, everyone!! Yes, the gorgeous days of Fall are here. Along with all the fabulous flavors that inspire us this time of year. And I must say ... right along with so many others ... I love fall flavors. Especially pumpkin. And it seems I'm not alone in that.

          Continue Reading >>
          Welcome Fall with scrumptious Pumpkin Biscuits, smeared with delicious Pecan-Honey Butter.

          Happy Fall, everyone!! Yes, the gorgeous days of Fall are here. Along with all the fabulous flavors that inspire us this time of year. And I must say ... right along with so many others ... I love fall flavors. Especially pumpkin. And it seems I'm not alone in that.

          Continue Reading >>
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          Tuscan Sausage & Bean Soup with Parmesan Toasts


          I am a soup lady.  Like really.  I could eat it all year round.  It's just so comforting & delicious and most soups are really easy to put together.  Since Fall is officially here, I have been trying several new soups & this is one of them.  I usually stick to the cream based soups, because let's be honest, cream makes everything better!  Haha.  Although this soup has no cream, it's still full of flavor & really simple to make.  My kids liked mopping up the soup with their bread the best.  If you like broth based soups, tomatoes, & beans, then this is your soup.

          Tuscan Sausage & Bean Soup with Parmesan Toasts
          Recipe altered from Tuscan Recipes by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
          • 1 Tbsp olive oil
          • 1 pound smoked turkey or chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
          • 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
          • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
          • 2 (14.5oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
          • 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
          • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
          • 1/4 tsp sage
          • 1 (15.5oz) can great northern beans, undrained
          • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
          • 12 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette, cut diagonally
          1. In a 6-quart stock pot, heat the oil & saute the sausage over medium heat.  Cook sausage until heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes.  
          2. Remove sausage, set aside, & add the onion to the pan.  Saute until softened, about 10 minutes.  
          3. Add garlic & cook 1 minute.  Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, pepper & sage.  Cook 10 minutes.
          4. Add the whole can of beans (liquid & all) & the cooked sausage to the pot.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat & cook 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low & simmer 10 minutes more.
          5. Heat broler.  Mound 2 teaspoons parmesan cheese on each bread slice & place on baking sheet.  Broil until cheese & bread are lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Serve toasts with soup.

            I am a soup lady.  Like really.  I could eat it all year round.  It's just so comforting & delicious and most soups are really easy to put together.  Since Fall is officially here, I have been trying several new soups & this is one of them.  I usually stick to the cream based soups, because let's be honest, cream makes everything better!  Haha.  Although this soup has no cream, it's still full of flavor & really simple to make.  My kids liked mopping up the soup with their bread the best.  If you like broth based soups, tomatoes, & beans, then this is your soup.

            Tuscan Sausage & Bean Soup with Parmesan Toasts
            Recipe altered from Tuscan Recipes by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)
            • 1 Tbsp olive oil
            • 1 pound smoked turkey or chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
            • 1 1/4 cups chopped onion
            • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
            • 2 (14.5oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
            • 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
            • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
            • 1/4 tsp sage
            • 1 (15.5oz) can great northern beans, undrained
            • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
            • 12 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette, cut diagonally
            1. In a 6-quart stock pot, heat the oil & saute the sausage over medium heat.  Cook sausage until heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes.  
            2. Remove sausage, set aside, & add the onion to the pan.  Saute until softened, about 10 minutes.  
            3. Add garlic & cook 1 minute.  Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, pepper & sage.  Cook 10 minutes.
            4. Add the whole can of beans (liquid & all) & the cooked sausage to the pot.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat & cook 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low & simmer 10 minutes more.
            5. Heat broler.  Mound 2 teaspoons parmesan cheese on each bread slice & place on baking sheet.  Broil until cheese & bread are lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Serve toasts with soup.
              reade more... Résuméabuiyad