Childs Apron

As a little girl I was always in the kitchen “helping” my Mom. She started my sister and me cooking at a young age. Even my Grandma’s would get us in the kitchen when we would go visit. Whether it was rolling out dough for a pie or making a batch of chocolate chip cookies we had a hand in it. And the best part was enjoying the goodies that we had helped create! I think getting kids into the kitchen learning how to cook is so important and love it when Man- Child wants to help me cook or now even cook on his own! My niece is starting to help my Sister in the kitchen and I thought that she needed an apron! I found these cute Dishtowel and Potholder sets at Wal-Mart and thought they would make such a cute apron for a little girl!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Dishtowel

1 rectangle Potholder

Coordinating Ribbon

Thread

 

Here’s how you make it:

Cut the Dishtowel in half. Cut the ribbon to be twice the size of the dishtowel. Pin the ribbon onto the Dishtowel so that the right sides are together leaving an equal length of ribbon on each side. Sew the ribbon onto the Dishtowel. Then place the Potholder in the center of the towel, pin it into place. Then sew the ribbon onto the Potholder. Next tie a length of ribbon onto the loop of the Potholder making sure it is long enough to tie around the Childs neck.

ENJOY!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake

 

One of my favorite Treats is Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was always such a treat growing up to have them. We would buy the frozen ones and bake them up until they were bursting with cheesy goodness! Ahh. The memories… I’ve tried to make them from scratch with some success I guess I’ll have to dig that recipe out and make it again. But for something different I thought I would make it into a Casserole. This is defiantly the easiest way to get the flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu without all the work!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Your Favorite Pasta boiled

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and cut up

1 small ham steak cut up

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup Milk

2 cups Shredded Swiss Cheese

2 cups Stuffing (mixed with 1 cup warm water)

1TBSP Dijon Mustard (optional)

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Here’s how you make it:

Pour the cooked Pasta into a 9x13 baking dish. In a medium bowl mix together the Soup and Milk and Dijon mustard if you are using it. In another bowl combine the stuffing and hot water just until the stuffing has absorbed the water. To the baking dish add in the Chicken and Ham. Pour the Soup mixture over the Pasta and stir a little to make sure it’s well combined. Then sprinkle the cheese onto the Pasta giving it a light stir to make sure everything is combined again. Then Sprinkle the Stuffing over the top making sure to cover the pasta. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the top is a golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then serve!

ENJOY!

Chocolate Lovers Torte

So by now you’ve probably guessed that I have a slight addiction affection for all things Chocolate! My favorite desserts are almost always something chocolate.  When I was a kid my favorite treat was getting to order Chocolate Mousse when we would go out with my Grandpa! I do have other favorites that aren’t chocolate! My Mom’s Cheesecake for one, Apple Crisp is another. But let’s get back to chocolate! I made this yummy torte for Easter this year and it is so good and rich and chocolaty! I think this would be a great Mothers Day dessert as well. At least for this Mom!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home

1 ½ cups Oreo Cookie Crumbs

¼ cup Butter, melted

2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

6 Egg Yolks

1 ¾ cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tsp Vanilla      

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

½ cup Butter, softened

3 cups Powdered Sugar

3TBSP Baking Cocoa

3-4 TBSP Milk

 

 

 

Here’s how you make it:

Combine Cookie Crumbs and Butter in a 9 inch Spring-form Pan. Mix until the crumbs and butter are combined. Then press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Place onto a baking sheet and Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes. Let Cool.

In a double boiler melt Chocolate Chips until smooth, let cool slightly. In a small bowl combine the egg yolks, cream and vanilla. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the chocolate until well blended. Pour on top of the crust. Place the Pan on a baking sheet and Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until center is almost set. Let Cool for 10 minutes then run a knife alongside the edges of the pan to loosen. Remove the outside of the pan and let cool for 1 more hour. Then refrigerate overnight for best results.

Just before you are ready to serve make the Frosting. Combine the Butter, Sugar, Cocoa and enough milk to give it the consistency to be piped onto the torte.  Now you are ready to decorate the cake. I was going to pipe it on in a cool design but ended up just spreading it on!

ENJOY!

Grilled Nachos

So I know I did a post Friday all about Cinco de Mayo and made some yummy tacos. But it’s hot here, like really really hot, well ok for us anyway. It is like 80+ outside and inside as well. Which I know isn’t that hot but here in the Pacific Northwest in early May it’s HOT! Now don't get me wrong I am LOVING this warm SUNNY weather and I'm hoping it is here to stay! Anyway, I had no intentions of turning on the oven or the stovetop. So what to do? My solution: make Nachos on the Grill! And ok I’ve seen this done before but never tried it, we did try pizza once and it was an epic fail. I mean dough was falling through the grill grates and everything it was not good! BUT these turned out great! And I didn’t have to make the house any hotter than it already is!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Tortilla Chips

Shredded Beef or Chicken (I used the Roast that I had from the Tacos)

Olives

Jalapenos

Shredded Cheese

Tomatoes

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Aluminum Foil

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s how you make it:

I used a gas Grill and turned it on Low. Layer two sheets of Foil on top of each other. Place the Chips, then the Meat, then the Jalapenos, and Olives onto the center of the Foil. Next sprinkle on the Cheese.  Pull up the sides of the Foil around the Nachos. With another sheet of Foil create a dome top. Place on the grill and close the lid for 5-10 minutes until the Cheese is melted. Remove from the grill and remove the Foil Dome. Top Nachos with Guacamole and Sour Cream and Tomatoes.

ENJOY!

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

 

I love Cinco de Mayo! Honestly what's not to love Mexican food and delicious drinks! It's funny but in our family we celebrate all these holidays that aren't really ours! I do like exposing Man-Child to different cultures though, I wonder what other holidays we could adopt? We already celebrate Chinese New Year, we always eat Chinese food and watch Kung Fu Panda! Cinco de Mayo is really just about the food for us. I'm making 3 different recipes for this year’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. First up to refresh your pallet is Strawberry Sangria, then dinner is left over Roast Tacos and for dessert Mexican S'mores!

 

Here's what you'll need:

 

Sangria:

 

1 bottle White Wine your choice I used a Moscato

1/2cup Triple Sec

Fresh strawberries cut up

 

Left Over Roast Tacos:

 

Left Over Roast

Corn Tortillas

Taco Seasoning

Lettuce

Tomato

Cheese

 

Mexican S'mores:

         

Flour tortillas

Chocolate Chips

Marshmallows

Cinnamon sugar

 

Here’s how you make it:

Sangria:

Mix the Wine, Triple Sec, and Strawberries together in a glass pitcher. Chill for a few hours so the wine takes on the flavor of the strawberries. Serve over ice and garnish with a whole strawberry!

Left Over Roast Tacos:

 

I cooked a Roast a few days before I wanted to make the tacos. Place the Roast into a large frying pan add taco seasoning (I used a homemade one) and about a cup of water. Cook over medium heat until water starts to boil, then turn down to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile you can heat the tortillas up in a skillet over medium heat; I do it for about 30 seconds on each side. When the Meat is ready add about a spoonful to your taco shell and add the toppings you enjoy.

 

Mexican S’mores:

Spray a medium sized frying pan with cooking spray, place a soft taco size tortilla shell in the pan and heat over medium heat, add the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Let them start to melt then place a tortilla on top cook for about 30 seconds more. Then carefully flip the Tortillas over with a spatula. Cook for another 30-60 seconds. Spray once again with Cooking spray and then sprinkle on the Cinnamon Sugar.  Let cool slightly then cut into triangles and serve!

 Have a suggestion on a Holiday we should try out? Leave it in the comments below!

ENJOY!

Care Packages: Pinata

My Mom gave Man-Child a challenge for his Dad’s birthday. Make a Piñata! At first I was like, um how in the heck are we going to get a Piñata to Afghanistan, and then I was like ok how AWESOME would that be. I mean, these guys (soldiers) love to have a good time, and really a piñata, what could be more fun than that. So we got started on it. It takes a little lot of work and is a HUGE mess but its fun and I’m really excited to see the pics of these guys breaking open the piñata!

Here’s what you’ll need:

A Balloon             

Newspaper

Flour

Water

Paint (We just used Spray Paint)

Goodies to fill the Piñata

 

 

 

Here’s how you make it:

Paper Mache is VERY messy so make sure you protect your work surface and anything else the paste might come in contact with. Blow up your balloon as large as it will go. Grab a bowl that your balloon will fit on top of and cover it with plastic wrap. Set the balloon on top of the bowl. Tear several newspaper pages into strips. You will need a lot. You will want the strips to by about 1-inch wide and 6- to 8-inches long.

Use equal parts flour and water to make the paste. I did 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of water. Mix up the paste in a glass or metal bowl. Dip the newspaper strips into the paste you made. Remove any extra glue on the newspaper by running it through your fingers. Spread the newspaper onto the balloon. Continue this, making the strips go in all different directions, until your balloon is completely covered. Let the first layer dry. Add two or three more layers of Paper Mache to your balloon. (We did 3 layers) Allow each layer to dry completely before putting on the next layer. Once it is dry cut a small hole in the side and the balloon will pop and you can fill the balloon with the goodies that you’ve bought! Place the piece that you cut out back on and apply a new layer of Paper Mache. Let it dry again. I actually forgot this step that's why you see the cut out piece after it's painted! I just taped it back up and hoped for the best!

You can now decorate your piñata. There are several ways to do this but we decided to paint it.

To hang your piñata, poke 4 small holes evenly spaced around the top. Thread a piece of string, yarn, or even fishing line through each hole and tie them together at the top. Cover the holes and secure the string further using pieces of masking tape. Tie a longer piece of string onto these and use it to hang up the piñata.

The tricky part is getting this Piñata to Afghanistan! I found a box that it would fit in and placed paper and bubble wrap on all 4 sides and crossed my fingers and said a prayer. It hasn’t made it there yet but as soon as it does I will be posting an update on if it made it or not!

ENJOY!