"Melted Wicked Witch" Mint Cookies and Cream Gooey Cake Bars

I know I have been MIA for awhile now.... 25 days to be exact, and I do apologize deeply. This month has proven to be rather crazy, and I am sure you all can understand how life sometimes manages to get in the way of some of our obligations and activities! Hopefully, November will prove to yield more regular postings from me. And, since I am in the process of beginning to compile and organize recipes to start working on a cookbook, I often finding myself torn between what recipes I share and what recipes I keep all to myself, saving them for some far-off, magical date when they can appear on the pages of a cookbook I can call all my own... someday....

In the meantime, I want to share with you a fabulous Halloween recipe perfect for last minute celebrations on this perfectly spooky day. When I picked Brooklyn up from daycare last Friday, I noticed that they had a sign-up sheet posted for individuals wanting to volunteer to bring some sort of treat for the cake walk they were having as part of their Halloween party that evening. Luckily, I had taken off early that day to spend some extra time with my father while he was in town, so I went ahead and signed up and started brainstorming what I could take that I could whip up in just a couple hours, still allowing for time to cool and set up properly. I recalled seeing several recipes of late where the food bloggers used a cake mix from a box to form the base layer of a cookie bar recipe of sorts and decided to go with that. As I was in the kitchen, the rest of the recipe just sort of fell into place and the end result was not only delicious, but fun in a special Halloween sort of way.

Here is what you will need to make "Melted Wicked Witch" Mint Cookies and Cream Gooey Cake Bars:

- 1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix
- 1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature (or thrown in the microwave if you're running short on time like I was)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Andes Mint baking pieces
- 16 Mint Oreo Cookies, crushed and broken into small pieces
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- Green food coloring

1. Line a 9x13" cake pan with aluminum foil, leaving excess foil at each end to create handles. Generously spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cake mix, the butter, and the egg until well-combined. I used my hands and it worked way better than the spoon I initially started the process with. You will get a Play-Doh result when the ingredients are sufficiently combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
3. Next, sprinkle the Andes Mint baking pieces onto the crust layer, followed by the Mint Oreo cookies. Top with the chocolate chips.
4. Add a few drops of green food coloring to your can of sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Pour the now-green sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of all.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until cooked through. Cool to room temperature and cut into 16 bars. Store covered in an airtight container. ENJOY this spook-tacular treat- we sure did!

Layers of chocolatey-minty-cookies and cream goodness... To die for! 

Happy Halloween! Here is a picture of Miss Brooklyn in her kitty cat costume, which, oddly enough, she was terrified of until she realized it was her golden ticket to free candy. Now, even though she won't smile in most of the pics we take, she at least doesn't scream bloody murder when we try to put it on her... Thank goodness!

And yes... it's cold here. For those of you not from Wyoming, we select our Halloween costumes based on how many warm layers we can fit comfortably underneath. It was about 35 degrees on Saturday when we were downtown trick-or-treating. But, in spite of the chilly temps, fun was had by all! Round 2 starts tonight!

Cheesy Pasta & Ham Casserole

I don't know about you guys, but when the temperatures start to drop, my craving for comfort foods skyrockets almost instantly. This is definitely one of those creamy, cheesy, ooey, gooey, all-around delicious foods that just begs to be eaten on a chilly fall evening- the epitome of comfort food, really.

We had some leftover ham we needed to use up, so we decided to be a little more creative than packing sandwiches for lunch for the next few days. Homemade macaroni and cheese plus ham....what's not to love? I will admit, though, that this dish is a little on the indulgent side.If you're counting calories... keep on walking browsing. :-) This recipe is probably not for you...Sorry!

Cheesy Pasta & Ham Casserole

- 1 lb. cellentani pasta, cooked and drained (or any type of small pasta you have on hand)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 8 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups cooked ham, diced into cubes
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 4 tablespoons Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1. Start by cooking your pasta according to package instructions, chopping your ham into small cubes, and shredding your cheese. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour, whisking well to combine, and cook, stirring continuously until the mixture is bubbly and frothy. Add in the milk and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and is smooth and creamy. Add in the seasoned salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine, then slowly add all of your shredded cheese until completely melted into mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to keep sauce mixture smooth.
3. Combine the cooked pasta, diced ham, and sauce in a large pot (I just used the one the pasta had been cooked in) and mix well.
4. Coat a 9x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon mixture into casserole dish.
5. Mix bread crumbs, melted butter, and Parmesan cheese in small bowl, then sprinkle mixture over the top of the pasta mixture.
6. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until topping is lightly browned. Makes 12 servings.

AH-Mazing! :)

This was a hit all around, and was perfect served with nothing more than a salad of sorts. Hopefully, your family enjoys this as much as we did!

What are some of your favorite go-to comfort foods for cold weather? 

 

Mexican Taco Rice

I love one-pot meals. Sometimes, I tend to make a bit of a mess when I cook, regardless of how hard I try not to, so the fewer the dishes involved, the better! Awhile back, my brother made a dish similar to this for me when I had gone home to my parents' house for the weekend. I really enjoyed it and ended up asking him for the recipe. He gave it to me, and unfortunately, I lost it amidst four moves and an overflowing box of loose recipes.

My original plan for dinner last night was just to make tacos, something quick and easy that I knew the kids would eat without a fuss. Then, for one reason or another, my brother's Mexican rice, which is usually served as a side rather than a main dish, popped into my head, and I decided that that would be a nice twist on the tacos I was going to make, but without going so far as to make the kids think I was trying to feed them some horrifying new dish chock full of veggies and good-for-them ingredients. I decided that with just a few minor additions, the Mexican rice my brother had made would turn into a delicious filling for burritos or tacos. Enter shredded cheese and sour cream and we have a delicious dinner!

This would make a great side dish, too, if you so desire!

Mexican Taco Rice

- 1 lb. lean ground beef

- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

- 1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper, seasoned salt, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

- 1 tsp. chili powder

- 1 16-oz jar of your favorite salsa

- 1 15-oz can sweet yellow corn, drained

- 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed well

- 2 cups instant rice

- 2 cups water

- Tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and olives for serving

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef and chopped onion together over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to stove top. 

2. While meat is cooking, in a small bowl mix ALL of your seasonings together. Once meat has been drained, sprinkle seasoning over meat and stir in, mixing well. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to make sure your meat is well-seasoned and evenly coated. At this point, you have a basic taco meat filling. 

3. After meat is seasoned, stir in salsa, corn, beans, and water. Stir well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  

4. Once boiling, turn off the heat and stir in rice. Cover your pot with a lid and let stand for 5-7 minutes to allow rice time to cook. After rice is cooked, use a fork to fluff mixture before serving. 

5. Warm tortillas, either in microwave or stove top, and fill with a scoop of the Mexican Taco Rice. Top with lettuce, cheese, olives, and anything else your hungry little heart desires. Enjoy! 

(You can tell we were REALLY embracing the quick and easy idea-we even used paper plates!)

This meal goes great alongside some tortilla chips and fresh salsa, and is the epitome of the definition of a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal. The kids all really enjoyed the variation from our normal taco night, and didn't even complain about the corn or the beans! This one is definitely a keeper. I guess sometimes losing a recipe can end up being a good thing when the end result is a tasty twist on the original idea!

What are some of your favorite quick and easy weeknight meals that you can have on the table in 30 minutes or less?  







Cinnascotch Butter Cookies

So, for those of you fellow food lovers out there, I am sure a lot of you are probably aware of the Picky Palate blog. She is constantly coming up with some innovative and delicious-sounding recipes, especially when it comes to sweets! Last week, I saw that she had posted about Biscoff Stuffed White Chocolate Chip Cookies... I have never tried Biscoff, nor had I ever even heard of it before she started posting about it. Nevertheless, I read this post, thought it sounded fantastic, and decided to play around with it and make it my own, out of both satisfaction for my creative needs and necessity, due to the fact that nowhere in our area sells Biscoff or Biscoff spread.

Seeing as how it is starting to feel like fall out there and I am just LOVING the crispness in the air, cinnamon immediately came to mind, followed by butterscotch. I decided I wanted to add these two elements to the cookie base of the recipe, but then needed to find a way to come up with some sort of delicious filling to stuff inside the cookies. To be honest, I am not really sure where the idea for the filling came from other than I had been snacking occasionally on miniature white chocolate Reese's cups and thought maybe something with peanut butter would be tasty. I ended up mixing peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon and using that for the filling. It turned out delicious!

These cookies are seriously decadent, and are PERFECT to help welcome fall with open arms and empty stomachs!

Cinnascotch Butter Cookies (recipe adapted from Picky Palate http://picky-palate.com/)

- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with either a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat together the butter and both sugars until well-combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, followed by the white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, mixing until just combined.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon.
6. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Using your thumb, make indentations into each cookie for the filling. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop the filling into each cookie. Top with another small scoop of cookie dough and press edges of cookie dough together to seal. Some filling will seep through.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. ENJOY!

SO satisfying...sweet, with a hint of salty and a whole lot of richness! 

Even though some of the flavors in this cookie are not necessarily traditional fall flavors, they really felt like fall to me, especially when they were still warm and gooey and just sinfully perfect. There are so many layers of flavor here that it is hard not to find something to fall in love with in these cookies. For me, it was, oh... pretty much everything! I will definitely be making these again. Hopefully, you enjoy them as much as I did! 

P.S. My brother named them.... I decided he needed to start "earning" his beloved banana bread! :)  

New School Goulash

One of my friends approached me about finding a good recipe for goulash because it is her husband's favorite dish. She, however, is not a big fan of it herself, so she was not really eager to get in the kitchen and try to make anything she hadn't had tested and approved by someone else first. I can't say that I blame her. With the abundance of recipes readily available on the Internet today, it can be hard to sort through and find one that you will actually like.

My grandma used to make us goulash when I was younger, so my mind initially turned to that meal and what it consisted of. I mostly remember hamburger, macaroni, and tomato sauce or tomatoes. I didn't remember all that well, but hoped that when I saw a recipe that I thought looked like a good place to start it would be similar to this simple combination. After some searching, I found a recipe by Paula Deen on Food Network's website called Bobby's Goulash. It sounded tasty, so I used this as the basis for the dish I created. 

I am still hoping to come across my grandmother's recipe. I love all of her foods, and the thing I enjoyed more about her version of this classic comfort dish was the simplicity. While this recipe is certainly tasty and filling, it took quite awhile to put together. Hope you will enjoy it!

New School Goulash (recipe adapted from Paula Deen)

- 2 lbs lean ground beef

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

- 1 red bell pepper, chopped

- 1 green bell pepper, chopped

- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

- 1 ½ cups water

- 1 ½ cups chicken broth

- 2 15-oz cans tomato sauce

- 2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

- 1  tablespoons Italian seasoning

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 tablespoons soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon worchestire sauce

- ½ teaspoon garlic powder

- ½ teaspoon black pepper

- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt

- 3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

- Fresh Parmesan Cheese, for topping

In a Dutch oven or large pot, sauté the ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain excess grease. Add the bell peppers and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the water and the chicken broth, followed by the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes, until steady boiling is reached. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, and recover with lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf, then allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese. Fresh worked really well, but packaged would be fine, too.

We served with a fresh loaf of French bread and a Caesar salad.  Delicious, satisfying meal!

The nuttiness of the Parmesan cheese really went well with the hearty flavors in this goulash!

Apple Pie Cookie Bars

We celebrated a birthday in our family last week. Chris's birthday was last Friday, and naturally, I started bugging him about what he wanted for his special birthday dessert at least a week before that. He insisted that he didn't want anything and told me not to worry about it. Yeah, right. Since he would never give me an answer, I decided to try and be innovative. If you have read some of my other posts, you know that Chris really tends to favor the classics...simple, yet delicious, desserts. He loves oatmeal raisin cookies and I THOUGHT he also loves apple pie. Turns out that is Gene, Chris's dad, and Chris really loves pumpkin pie (which I did know that, too, but it didn't work with my idea, so I went with apple and ended up being wrong...OOPS!) Regardless of who really loved apple pie and who didn't, the end result of my attempt at innovation in creating a super duper deluxe birthday dessert tailored especially to Chris's taste turned out to be just that....a super duper deluxe birthday dessert that was DELICIOUS!

So in case you haven't got on by now, what I wanted to do was combine what I thought were two of Chris's favorite desserts into one treat. I started with an oatmeal cookie mix, threw in some raisins and cinnamon, and then pressed the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan for the crust. I then chopped up apples and tossed them in flour, sugar, and cinnamon and created a very simple apple pie filling. I pressed that down onto the oatmeal cookie crust, and then I finished off with a struesel topping. WOW- this served with some ice cream on top...it's practically begging you to eat it, savor in every bite, and welcome fall in with a bang!

Here is the recipe for Apple Pie Cookie Bars:

- 1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
- 1 stick butter, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 5 medium apples, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon

- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup instant oats

- Extra flour for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two pieces of overlapping foil, extending over the sides to create handles for easy lifting later. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie mix, the butter, the egg, the raisins, and the cinnamon. Mix well. Press cookie dough evenly into bottom of prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top with a little flour. (This helps absorb some of the extra moisture from the apple pie filling so your cookie layer is not soggy.)
3. In a medium bowl (I used the same one from the cookie dough), toss the apples, the flour, the sugar, and the cinnamon together to coat the apples. Press the apple pie filling evenly over the cookie dough crust. Sprinkle a little flour over the top.
4. In a medium bowl, use a fork or a pastry cutter to blend the cold butter, the flour, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the instant oats to create a streusel. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the pie filling.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 32 minutes, until streusel is golden brown on top. Let cool. Cut into bars and serve with ice cream. ENJOY!

These were a perfect dessert to help get me even more ready for fall than I already was...Welcome back apples, maple, pumpkin, and all of those delicious fall flavors. I have missed you, and hopefully you readers have, too, because you will be seeing a lot of them in the weeks to come!

What are some of your favorite things to bake in the fall???

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are one of those classic childhood treats that are so simple, yet so delicious, that it is almost impossible not to enjoy them still as an adult. Now, being the one making them, there is an added bonus in the fact that they are ridiculously quick and easy. I whipped these up in less than 10 minutes- can't really beat that when you need a quick-fix dessert! I really enjoy adding twists to classic treats, in case you haven't noticed, even if the twist is only a minor modification to the original recipe. Here, I used both Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies... I know, I know, it's not exactly the most innovative thing I have ever done, but the taste is fantastic and well-balanced!

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

- 4 cups Rice Krispies
- 4 cups Cocoa Krispies
- 4 tbsp. butter, plus more for pan
- 1 small package vanilla pudding
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 10-oz. bag jumbo marshmallows

1. Line a 9x13" pan with foil. Generously grease the foil on all sides with butter. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt butter. Once melted, add the vanilla pudding and the marshmallows, stirring continuously to melt marshmallows. Once everything is melted together, stir in vanilla and mix well.
3. To the pot, add your Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies. Stir and mix until all of the cereal is well-coated with the marshmallow mixture.
4. Using a buttered spatula, press the cereal and marshmallow mixture evenly into the prepared 9x13" pan. Allow to cool, then ENJOY!



These are best enjoyed the day you make them, but if there ends up being leftovers, just pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and it will be as if they were just made, back to a gooey, delicious treat. The kids loved them, and so did the "big kids," i.e. my brother and his friend. We will definitely be making these again!

What are some of your go-to treats that you can prepare in a hurry that are sure to satisfy your family?

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Another busy weekend come and gone, so I have to apologize in advance for the lack of picture to accompany this recipe. It was scarfed down so fast by everyone we had over to join us for dinner that there was no opportunity to photograph leftovers like I had originally planned! That should tell you how delicious this soup is!

Soup is probably one of my favorite comfort foods, and once fall and winter set in, it will frequent our dinner table in many various forms. This particular recipe came from my beloved grandmother, and I have since adapted it a little to make it my own and adjust it to our family's tastes. It is easily modified to adjust heat, and ingredients can be added, interchanged, or removed altogether.

Here is what you will need to make A LOT of this satisfying and filling soup.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and seasoned salt, to taste
- 2 lb. block of 2% Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes
- 16-oz container reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 28-oz cans pinto beans, rinsed well and drained
- 2 28-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, one drained and one undrained
- Optional Add-Ins: Sweet corn, green chilies, jalapenos, diced bell peppers, olives, etc.

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef, cooking until no longer pink. Drain excess fat and add all of your spices and onion to the skillet. Saute until onion is tender, between five and 10 minutes.
2. While the beef is cooking, start adding the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker. Quite literally, just throw it all in! Couldn't be easier. Make sure to rinse and drain your beans well, and don't forget to add the juice of ONE of the cans of Rotel tomatoes. It adds extra flavor. As a helpful hint, the smaller you cube your cheese the quicker it will melt. Mix everything together.
3. Once your beef is cooked through and the onion is tender, add it to the slow cooker. Mix all of the ingredients together and let cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. If you have the opportunity, stir this often. If you want to make it before work and let it cook while you are gone, just be sure to allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes after you are home to give it a couple good stirs before you eat it. It helps to distribute the cheese throughout the whole mixture.

ENJOY!

How was your weekend? We went on a paranormal investigation at the Laramie Plains Civic Center on Saturday night. It was a blast, but holy cow it made me feel OLD! It's been a long time since I stayed up till 3 am, and I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon! Still recovering today, but the experience was well worth it!

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

Many of you may have caught wind of the peanut butter pie recipes that have been sweeping the food blogging world over the past week or so. Food bloggers across the board have been making and sharing recipes for their favorite renditions of peanut butter pie to honor the memory of a fellow food blogger's husband who passed unexpectedly. See In Jennie's Kitchen for the full, heartbreaking story, and also for a delicious-sounding recipe for peanut butter cream pie that her late husband listed as his favorite.  http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html

This story is a good reminder that life is short. We should truly cherish each moment that we have with our loved ones and savor each day as if it could be our last. Let's not put off today what could be done tomorrow, especially when it comes to the things that bring us the most enjoyment. And when it comes to loved ones, as Jennie so beautifully wrote in her post, "hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on." Thank you, Jennie, for letting your loss help others remember just how precious life is and that we should not take anything for granted.

We had an incredibly busy weekend, and the time to make a pie unfortunately slipped away. But I came up with my own, quick version of peanut butter pie in dip form (basically deconstructed peanut butter pie if that helps you to visualize the connection) to help do my part to contribute to such a wonderful cause and remind my loved ones of how dear they are to me. Life is too short for it not to be sweet... 

Silky, smooth, peanut- buttery perfection! 

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

- 1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Nilla Wafers, Oreos, graham crackers, or anything of the like (think pie crust) for dipping

1. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and honey, mixing until smooth and silky with no chunks. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate.
2. Serve as a dip with your favorite cookie, cracker, or fruit/vegetable and enjoy! (Or, if you're like me and my family, you can grab a spoon and dig right in - it's DELICIOUS!)

Does your family have any special recipes that are their favorites? What are they and how often do you make them for your loved ones? I would love to hear about it! 

Summer Chicken Salad

Summer is slowly starting to wind down and we are on the brink of autumn. With it's cooler temperatures, fun-filled holidays, football, and beautiful landscapes painted by changing leaves, fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I also love fall because it practically necessitates the use of such delectable flavors as pumpkin, maple, apple, etc., and also, with the cooler temperatures comes chili, soups, and stews, some of my favorite dinners. So basically, fall means fabulous, hearty, comfort food and an excuse to always be baking.

Some people might find it strange, but I am a very "seasonal" person. There are certain colors, foods, and scents, just to name a few, that are more appealing to me during certain times of the year. So, as already mentioned, since autumn is just around the corner, I figured I had better enjoy another round of one of my new found summer enjoyments, as I am quite positive I will not be craving it anytime soon with colder weather approaching...

I had never really tried chicken salad before, but for some reason, I had a ton of leftover grilled chicken a few months ago and decided to give it a whirl. I just kind of dove in, head-first with fingers crossed, and hoped for the best. I was really impressed with the end result. The flavors work so well together and practically scream spring and summer. This chicken salad is sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, and just all-around perfectly balanced. Plus, it is light, yet filling and satisfying. And, it is full of healthy ingredients, too!

We had a crazy busy weekend because we had a yard sale, so I don't have pictures for this recipe yet. But we are grilling a lot of chicken tonight, and, naturally, I will be using the leftovers to make some Summer Chicken Salad. In the meantime, here is the recipe!

Summer Chicken Salad 

- 2 chicken breasts (I used grilled, but any cooked chicken would work fine, I am sure), cut into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped (up to you if you want to keep the skin on or peel it- I like the extra crunch the skin adds, plus all the nutritious goodness that comes with it!), sprinkled with lemon juice to help preservation and prevent browning
- 1/4 cup pomegranate-flavored Craisins (or whatever flavor you have on hand will work, too)
- 1/4 chopped pecans
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip (I pretty much refuse to use mayo... just sayin'), depending on how creamy you want it
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp. honey

1. In a Tupperware container with a lid, toss together the chicken, celery, apple, Craisins, and pecans.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Miracle Whip, mustard, and honey until well-combined.
3. Pour the Miracle Whip mixture over the chicken mixture, using a spatula to make sure you get every last bit of it, then mix well until all of the chicken mixture is coated.  For best results, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated in Tupperware container. ENJOY!

I love to use this Summer Chicken Salad on sandwiches, layered in between two pieces of a nice, whole-grain bread, but it would be delicious set atop a bed of spinach or other leafy greens, or even by itself. It really is SO delicious!!!

Do you have any foods that you only tend to crave during certain times of the year??? I would love to hear more from others who share in my seasonal tendencies! :)

Spaghetti Tacos

Any iCarly fans out there? Some of you without kids may have never even heard of iCarly, but those with kids surely have seen an episode or two (at least) of this fun-filled television show on Nickelodeon. I have to admit, even as an adult, I love watching this show with the kids. It's really entertaining and full of witty, good-natured humor.

Anyways, in many of the episodes of iCarly, Carly, Sam, and Freddy can be seen chowing down on Spencer's signature dish- Spaghetti Tacos. The first time I saw it, I thought to myself that that sounded like a disgusting combination. However, after seeing it numerous times, my curiosity started to peak more and more and I started to wonder if it might actually be pretty tasty. The kids started asking for them, so at that point I figured it was worth a shot to try them out. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed them! The kids loved them, too, but that was not nearly as surprising as the fact that the adults loved them, too! They are unique, there is no doubt about that, but strangely satisfying. I invite you to step outside of your comfort zone and give these a try!



Here is a pic to give you a visual idea of this crazy combination and how it all comes together.

Hungry yet?

You should be! (Trust me...)

As I was brainstorming this dish in my head, I wanted to try to create these Spaghetti Tacos in a way that was neither too Mexican nor too Italian in nature, but that really brought out flavors that are often seen in both Mexican and Italian food. So, with that in mind, here is what I came up with.

Spaghetti Tacos

- 1 lb. lean hamburger

- 1/2 cup onion, diced

- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. chili powder

- 1/4 tsp. paprika

- 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

- 1/4 tsp. black pepper

- 1/8 tsp. cumin

- 1/2 tsp. oregano

- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained as directed

- 1 jar of your favorite tomato-based spaghetti sauce

- 12 hard taco shells

- Shredded cheese, for topping

1. Start by boiling your water for the spaghetti noodles. While the water is coming to a boil, start browning your hamburger and onion in a large skillet. Add noodles to boiling water and cook as directed.

2. Once the hamburger is mostly browned, add the garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, seasoned salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Stir in well to mix and continue to brown hamburger until cooked through. Drain any excess fat.

3. To the hamburger mixture, add about 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Stir in and continue to cook over low heat until warm throughout.

4. Heat the remaining spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, cooking just long enough to heat throughout.

5. Once noodles have been drained, add a couple ladles of spaghetti sauce to the noodles to lightly coat the noodles and keep them from sticking to each other and getting stiff.

6. At this point, all of your different components are ready and you can start building your spaghetti tacos. Fill your taco shell with the saucy noodles, top with the meat sauce, then spoon a little extra sauce on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese to finish. Or, if you want the cheese to melt a little more, put it on top of the meat mixture before the extra sauce.   :)



So, while you're in complete awe that this dish is actually successful, sit back, relax, and enjoy! You should have a perfect balance of Mexican and Italian flavors that compliment each other nicely and come together perfectly to create a surprisingly delicious dinner. The kids will love you, and it will give you a nice little vacation from adulthood, too!

P.S. This dinner gets messy! Be prepared, and don't say I didn't warn you!

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies

Oreo cookies are one of my all-time favorite store-bought cookies. Whenever I eat them, a flood of sensational memories washes over me and I am back reliving my childhood, sitting in my grandparents' living room, watching cartoons, and enjoying the good life. The simple life. We really had it made when we were younger- no responsibility, no worries, just a carefree existence that, unbeknownst to us, was shaping us into the adults we are today. Though the adult world is now full of responsibility and all of the other characteristics that our childhood lacked, there are still some things that just make everything seem all right and bring a sense of comfort back into our sometimes seemingly foreign world of jobs, children, and everything else for which we are now held accountable. For me, one of those things is Oreo cookies. And milk. What is an Oreo cookie without a big glass of milk to dunk it in? Needless to say, I jump at any chance to utilize these cookies and their perfectly balanced cookies and cream basis.

I first saw these cookies posted on Picky Palate's website. She has some fantastic and innovative stuff happening over there, and I highly recommend that you check out her page if you haven't already done so. Just click here and take a quick field trip before today's lesson starts... http://picky-palate.com/  See how easy I make life for you? :)

As soon as I saw these posted, I knew that I would have to make them. And so I did. And I put my own special twist on them... for any of you who love the Mint Fudge Oreos that come out only around Christmas as much as I do, these cookies are for you! They are really quick and easy to make, and you will find that there are so many wonderful layers of flavors going on in every single bite you take. These are, by far, one of my favorite cookies that I made recently.

Anyone else remember these??? I wait for them EVERY year- yet another thing I LOVE about the holiday season!!!

Anyways... those cookies were part of my inspiration for the changes I made to the original recipe I saw over at Picky Palate's site. But on with it....
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies:

- 2 sticks softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 18 whole Oreo cookies, crushed until mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces remaining

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a large cookie sheet with either parchment paper or a silpat liner.
2. Using either a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until well-combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and mint extract, mixing until mostly smooth and well-combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the wet ingredients, along with cocoa powder, both types of chocolate chips, and the crushed Oreo cookies, slowly mixing until just combined.
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, placing approximately 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. ENJOY!

(Recipe adapted from Picky Palate)

Ahhhh...perfection! 

Seriously... these cookies will make you some friends! We took them to daycare for Teacher's Appreciation Day, and let's just say word of mouth has done it's job- in a good way for once! Try them and let me know how you like them! 

Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am one of those people who tends to obsess... once the seed of an idea has been planted in my brain, I can't seem to get it out, so the only natural thing to do is to let that seed blossom and run with it... Two little seeds have recently been planted... The end result? Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

To start, my mom's fiance kept bringing up the peanut butter fudge I gave to them last Christmas. He swears that it is the best fudge he has ever had and asked when I might be able to make them more. Things have been pretty crazy this summer, so I haven't got around to making it for them quite yet. But this was enough to get me thinking about and craving some delicious peanut butter fudge. On top of that, I have also been thinking a lot about my Grandma's chocolate chip cookies. I am sure that part of that comes from me missing her, but, regardless of the reason, her fabulous, simple chocolate chip cookies have also been ingrained in my mind lately.

I decided to be innovative and try and  come up with an excuse to bake  satisfy both insatiable cravings with one treat... IT WORKED!   And it worked well...So, of course, I had to share it with you all so you could bask in all of the peanut-buttery. chocolaty, gooey-ness that is this recipe.

These cookies are simple and quick. Here is what you will need to make them:

- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco
- 1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Using a fork, in a small bowl combine the peanut butter and the powdered sugar together until you have a Play-Doh-like consistency. Stick this makeshift fudge into the freezer for half an hour to firm up.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix Crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla together until creamy, using a hand mixer. Blend in the egg.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, mixing on low until well-incorporated.
6. Using a wooden spoon, stir in milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
7. Once you have completed all of these steps, remove the peanut butter "fudge" from the freezer. Break  or chop into small chunks and stir into cookie dough.
8. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges. 
9. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. ENJOY!!!



These cookies are a wonderful combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and I really like the different layers of chocolate flavor that the two kinds of chips add compared to only one. They are soft, chewy, and simple in an irresistible way.

They even met Chris's approval! He loves a lot of the crazy concoctions I come up with, but to him, simplicity is always the best. For him, sometimes there is nothing better than the classic. So, with only a slight addition to Grams' coveted chocolate chip cookies, he ended up loving the result! As did the kids! We were on the verge of having to hide the cookie container from Brooklyn, because EVERY TIME she saw it she would squeal and point at it. Obviously, we don't deprive our kids of sweets in case you couldn't tell, but even we have our limits! :)

Hope you enjoy!

German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars

One of my favorite kinds of recipes are the ones shared and passed around through families. We spent a lot of the month of July traveling, and one of the extra perks that came along with seeing wonderful family was acquiring this recipe from Chris's Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida. I had tried these bars once before during a previous trip to Kimball, Nebraska, but never thought to ask for the recipe until this time. I am so glad I did! They are super easy to make, and so delicious! As a family, we love them.

As an added bonus, one of my coworkers recently celebrated a birthday, and as one of the designated office "birthday bakers," I asked her what she wanted me to make and bring into work for her. She told me that two of her favorite things were brownies and caramel... and alas, the perfect opportunity to bake these bars and share them with you all came to be. (By the way, she also mentioned ice cream, and I think these would be heavenly topped with a nice, cool scoop of creamy vanilla!)

I really don't remember what these bars were originally called in the recipe that Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida shared with me, so I re-named them and came up with some possible suggestions for tasty variations of this recipe, but I am saving those for later when I have actually had a chance to try them. I don't know where the recipe originated from, so I don't really know who to give credit to since it is not my original creation... just one of those family recipes passed down through the generations I suppose?

Here is what you will need to make German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars:

- 1 box German Chocolate cake mix
- 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
- 14 ounces caramel pieces
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, leaving excess foil at each end to create handles for easy removal later. Grease and flour the foil. Set aside.
2. Combine cake mix, butter, and water in a large bowl, using a fork to mix. Incorporate the butter and water fully into the cake mix. When you're done, the mix should be crumbly but still stick together. Set aside.
3. Combine caramels and evaporated milk over low-medium heat until melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and keep warm.
4. Take half of your prepared cake mix and press it evenly into the bottom of the 9x13" pan to create the bottom layer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips. Pour caramel over the chocolate chip layer and spread evenly.  Take the remaining cake mix and press it evenly over the caramel layer to create the top layer. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. ***This part is a little tricky- be prepared to get your hands sticky! The good part is you can lick them clean after you're done and get a preview of the chocolate caramel goodness that is coming your way.*** 

Shhh.... don't tell anyone. Then you won't have to share yet!

5. Place your assembled bars into the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bars are mostly set. They will jiggle a bit at first because of the caramel, but they should still be done. They will solidify as they cool.

6. Cut into bars and share the love! Enjoy!

As I mentioned before, I thought of a couple variations that I think would work fantastic in this recipe. I have not actually had the opportunity to try them out yet, but I will eventually! Unfortunately, I can't bake as often as I would like, due to both lack of time and the fact I am attempting to slim my waistline a bit, but I try to write down ideas as they come to me so I can save them for a later date! So, with that in mind, you can expect AT LEAST one variation of this recipe still to come! Until then.... happy baking!



Magic Cookie Bars

So... for any of you who know me, you probably already are well aware that Magic Cookie Bars (aka Seven Layer Bars or Dolly Madison Cookies) are one of my all-time favorite treats in this world. They are positively perfect and sinful in every sense. I have actually requested that Chris bring me some of these scrumptious cookie bars on my death bed, assuming that is a feasible possibility. So basically, if I was on death row, these bars of layered perfection would undoubtedly be on the menu for my last meal. Yes, they are THAT good! I know my coworkers in dispatch agree with me on this one.

Magic Cookie Bars are part of a special class of recipes that are not only defined by their simplicity, but are great because of just that. My mom made these for me as a small child, and ever since the first moment I tasted them, I knew that they would forever be a part of me. And so here I am, twenty-some years later, sharing the recipe with you. This one is no secret- you could find it, quite literally, anywhere. But just in case you don't feel like searching for it, here it is at your fingertips.

Magic Cookie Bars

- 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
- 1 cup (or more) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (or more) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (or more) butterscotch chips
- 2 cups toasted coconut flakes
- 1 can Eagles Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread your coconut flakes out onto a baking sheet and place into preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until coconut is lightly browned and toasted. Set toasted coconut aside to cool.
2. While you are toasting your coconut, melt your butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the graham cracker crumbs to the bowl and toss into the melted butter with a fork, making sure that all crumbs are well-moistened by the butter. The crumbs should start sticking together if pressed.
3. Line a 9x13" pan with two pieces of overlapping aluminum foil, creating handles at each end of the pan for easy removal later. Spray foil well with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of the foiled pan. You can use a fork, but I think the best way to accomplish this is to use the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup. It works perfectly, and flattens everything out beautifully and evenly.
5. If you're using nuts (I usually don't, just because too many people don't like them for some reason- I, myself, do, and when I do, I use pecans), sprinkle the nuts over the graham cracker crust.
6. Next, sprinkle all three kinds of baking chips evenly over the nuts or graham cracker crust layer, making sure they are well-mixed. Press down lightly to create a more even layer.
7. Sprinkle the toasted coconut evenly over the baking chips layer, then pour the whole can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the toasted coconut, coating evenly.
8. Place into preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes, until the top starts turning a very light golden brown. Savor in the AMAZING aroma that has been filling your house- it will get even better when you remove these bad boys from the oven and (try to) let them cool before cutting them and eating them.

ENJOY! Share with your kids-they are sure to love these. 

Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake

So... it's been awhile... Shortly after my last post, ironically about losing loved ones and always remembering to count your blessing, my grandfather passed away very unexpectedly. Needless to say, it sent my world into disarray and this is the first time I have even really thought about my little blog. Well, I guess that is partially not true, since I was still taking pictures of food and what not to save and share with you later. Anyways, here I am, broken and healing at the same time, ready to share another fabulous recipe with you and hoping that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Now, let me tell you about Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake... yes, it is as delicious as it sounds, but no, it is not as unhealthy as the name suggests! That is the bonus. I have really been working hard to come up with recipes that are both healthy and delicious, recipes that fool you into thinking your indulging when, in all reality, every bite you're putting into your mouth contains wholesome, good-for-you ingredients. This casserole-type dish fits all of those criteria perfectly!

After my grandpa passed away, all of the neighbors and friends graciously started bringing over all kinds of food for our family to help us out during our difficult time. (By the way, one bright moment in an otherwise dark week came when I tasted Rita Jackson's Dump Bars. I thought they were just superb brownies, but turns out, I was wrong. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me, and although I have not actually had the time to try it out myself yet, I promise you will see those sinful treats at a later date... probably the next time I need a "break" from my attempt at dieting haha!) One of our family friends brought over something she called Pizza Spaghetti. I didn't actually ever even see this dish, nevertheless taste it, but the mere title got the little wheels in my brain turning pretty quickly.

And, alas, Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake was born!

Here is what you will need:

- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 box (16 oz.) whole grain pasta (any kind will work, we used Rotini)
- 1 can/jar spaghetti sauce
- 24 slices turkey pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded nonfat mozzarella cheese
- 1 small can of sliced olives, drained

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" cake pan or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, start by sauteing your vegetables in a large skillet in a few drizzles of olive oil for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add your ground turkey into the skillet and brown together with the vegetables, until turkey is cooked through. Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and mix well to evenly season the turkey and vegetable mixture.

3. After your turkey is cooked through, add the spaghetti sauce to the skillet and stir into the meat and veggie mixture. Let simmer for just a few minutes.
4. Drain your pasta, if you haven't already done so, and mix together the pasta and spaghetti sauce combination until all of the noodles are coated with sauce and the ingredients are well-mixed. Pour this into the prepared baking pan.

5. Top with your turkey pepperoni slices. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the pepperoni layer, then top with olives. Cover with foil and put into preheated oven. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until heated through. (Adapt the temperature and cooking time to fit your needs- we went with a lower temp/longer baking time so that we could squeeze our workout in while we were waiting for it to be done!)
6. Remove from oven, remove foil, and let cool for five minutes before serving. Depending on your portion sizes, this should make at least 12 servings. Enjoy delicious food without the guilt!

One of the greatest things about this recipe is its versatility, as I am sure you will find yourself once you try it. The basic quality of the ingredients allows for a lot of room for "cook's interpretation." As I mentioned earlier, this Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake was a hit at our house. We loved it, and it was equally delicious the next day for lunch!  Certainly, if you are not watching your calories or in the mood to splurge, you could easily un-healthify this recipe and substitute Italian sausage for the turkey, real pepperoni for the turkey pepperoni, and go wild with cheese. You could also add mushrooms for a full "Supreme Pizza" experience, but I usually opt to leave fungus out of my food. :)







Count Your Blessings!

Well, we are now officially halfway through 2011, and what a year it has been. It seems as if death has been knocking on the doors of our family and friends entirely too much, and although death is simply an inescapable part of life, its occurrence often makes one pause and give closer thought to many of the things so often taken for granted. For me, at least, I know that is how my mind processes such sad occasions.

My Grandma passed away in February, and that has absolutely been one of the hardest things I have ever been through. I have lost other loved ones, but I was much younger and there was so much I couldn't fully understand then. Honestly, there is still a vast majority of this concept I can't truly grasp, but much more so now than then. My Grandma was only 70-years old when she passed, and the ultimate cause of her death was linked to her Pulmonary Fibrosis. What a nasty disease that is-essentially slowly suffocating its victims to the point where they fight for every precious breath they can take. It was painstaking to watch her live out her last days, but on the other hand, I was glad to get to be there with her after all the times she was there for me. She was not in her right mind, but I know, subconsciously, she knew we were there to be by her side as she transitioned from this life into the next, even if she couldn't fully acknowledge the fact.

You never want to see your loved ones suffer, especially to the extent which she was suffering. She fought for so long, with such ferocity, that we all had nothing but respect for her when she finally decided she was now ready to give in and go with God. She accepted the fact that He was calling her home, and we had to accept that fact, too. Knowing that she was ready made it at least a little easier to accept, but it was still a far cry from easy in any way, shape, or form. Situations like these bring about such mixed emotions-intense sadness and grief over the loss of someone so near and dear to your heart; relief that their suffering is over; happiness that they are home with their Savior, forever watching over us as our Guardian Angels; and gratitude-sheer appreciation and respect for all that you have and are blessed with in spite of all that you just lost.

Shortly after my grandma passed, one of my dearest friends lost her baby at 32 weeks. Preeclampsia took its toll on both mom and baby, and unfortunately, the baby did not make it. Having only had Brooklyn a little over a year ago, my heart literally broke into pieces as I received the news of her and her husband's loss. While losing a grandparent is hard, losing a child is impossible. To make matters worse, only a little over a year ago, they had lost their first baby, as well, at 20 weeks. Just as they were starting to heal from their first tragedy, they were grief-stricken again for the same reason. Occurrences like this just make a person ask why... regardless of how strong a person is in their faith, it is always so hard to accept when God chooses a child to take to Heaven to be with Him. Their loss hit me hard, too, for several reasons. First and foremost, I can't imagine losing a child. I am honestly not sure I could ever recover from something so devastating. But second, I felt so much grief and sadness for this lost little boy whom I was so looking forward to watching grow up and the friendship I am sure he would have had with our children. Then of course, there is the immense sadness felt for my friend and her husband. All I could do was cry when I heard the news, and it is so hard to want to be able to reach out and help them but not even knowing where to start, also knowing that there is nothing that can truly help them more than time and God's healing grace.

Just yesterday, we received a call in dispatch. One of our coworkers was frantically searching for her three-year old son and couldn't find him anywhere. Immediately, every law enforcement unit available was headed in her direction to aid in the search. Her family lives out on a ranch in the county, and with flooding already posing a threat in many surrounding areas, there was an increased level of danger with this missing child. Eventually, the boy was found... face down in the water. No one knows for sure how long he was submerged, but he did not have a pulse and deputies immediately started CPR and life-saving efforts. After two hours of being worked on, the boy's little heart eventually started beating again. At that point, it was decided that he would be rushed to Denver to the Children's Hospital for further treatment. After extensive testing, it was found that there was significant brain damage, and his parents were then faced with the impossible decision of whether or not to keep him on life support, knowing that he would never be the same again, if he ever even regained consciousness, and that it was only the machines keeping him alive at that point. They eventually decided to remove life support, and he passed away this morning. Such a heartbreaking day. My heart goes out to their family, and thoughts and prayers will be sent their way for many days to come.

I truly cannot imagine. I have to try my hardest not to even attempt, or it makes me burst into tears. This is one of those "hypothetical" situations that my mind will not allow me to comprehend. I have to put up a mental block- a wall against this devastating possibility. And unfortunately, that is exactly what it is: losing a child is a devastating possibility for all of us. Regardless of how wonderful of a parent you are or how many precautions you put in place to keep your children safe, God already knows His plan for them just like He does for us, and He could decide to take them from our lives at any second as part of His bigger plan for them.

The moral of this story and the thought for the day is: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS! Don't take ANYTHING for granted. Everything we have in this life is a blessing, a gift, and a privilege. We are not entitled to anything, and in the blink of an eye, that which is dearest to us can be gone. Every day is a new adventure and should be welcomed with open arms. Savor the small things that bring us so much joy that often go unmentioned- the smell of rain, the sound of a child laughing, the warm embrace of a loved one. Life is too short to not live fully and happily; you only get one shot, so make it the best that it can be for you, as well as all those around you whose lives you influence in ways you may not even realize. Hug your kids a little tighter, spend a little bit more time playing with them and reading to them than usual, tell your parents you love them and your friends you appreciate them. You just never know...  

Oven-Baked Veggie Fries and Easy BBQ Dry Rub

By now, you all know of our ongoing battle involving getting the kids to eat more vegetables. We are slowly but surely making progress, and I am proud to report that we can at least get them to try a bite of most new things without having to pull any teeth out first. In the midst of this battle, I came up with an idea for Oven-Baked Veggie Fries. My train of thought at the time was that maybe if I cut a variety of vegetables up into the same shape as we cut our homemade oven fries into, and then mix them in with the potatoes, then maybe they would never even think twice about it and just dig in like they normally would with regular fries. Well, it didn't really work like that, but I was really impressed with the end result regardless and am now here to share it with you!

Here are the ingredients we used to create our Oven-Baked Veggie Fries:

-2 zucchinis
-1 yellow squash
-3 russet potatoes
-2 carrots

-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. paprika
-1/4 tsp. chili powder
-1/2 tsp. oregano
-Extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Prepare your vegetables: After washing, peel the zucchini, squash, and carrots. (I like to leave a little of the skin on the zucchini and squash, peeling in a stripe-like pattern, but that is mostly just because they look prettier that way :P) Wash your potatoes, then cut into wedges. Choose any shape you like that resembles a fry of some sort, then cut the zucchini, squash, and carrots to match as much as possible. Place all cut vegetables into a large bowl, big enough so you can easily toss the vegetables.
3. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, a couple tablespoons or so, over the top of the vegetables, using just enough that all of the vegetables have a nice coating of it without being soaked. Toss around to coat the vegetables evenly.
4. In a small bowl, mix together all of your spices. Pour spice mixture onto oil-coated vegetables and toss to evenly distribute the spices. Tongs work great for the tossing process.
5. Spread the seasoned vegetables out onto your lined baking sheet, trying to make sure that no veggies are overlapping and are in a single layer. Place into the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or so, until the veggies are starting to crisp up on the edges and are turning golden brown. We like our veggies extra tender, so if you like yours to still have more of a bite to them, you may want to reduce your roasting time.  Let cool slightly and enjoy.

These are great served with barbecue chicken, which is what we ate them with! Our seasoning mix for the oven fries was created to kind of mirror some of what was going into our barbecue chicken rub, so if you are looking for something a little more generic as far as seasoning goes, eliminate the cumin, chili powder, and oregano and add a little bit of Italian seasoning in its place.

In case you are looking for a great dry rub to put on chicken before grilling, here is a very simple, quick, and delicious one that we enjoy! Thank you, Rachael Ray, for giving us a wonderful basis for this rub that we adapted! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/bbq-spiced-chicken-salsa-salad-and-pumpkin-chipotle-polenta-recipe/index.html

Easy BBQ Dry Rub
-1 1/2 tbsp. grill seasoning (we like McCormick best)
-1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
-1/2 tbsp. paprika
-1/2 tbsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
-4 tbsp. light brown sugar
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. onion powder

Just rub this all over chicken before grilling, then glaze with your favorite barbecue sauce right before it comes off the grill. Delicious!

Anyways... back to the vegetables! The roasting process really brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables and makes them absolutely delicious. They are tender, juicy, and full of flavor. We really liked them a lot and will definitely be making them again. Like I said before, the kids were pretty unsure about these, but we did at least get them to try zucchini, which was new to them.

Here is a close-up. You can actually SEE the flavor! 

Mexican Enchilada Lasagna

Italian vs Mexican? Enchiladas vs Lasagna? Who can choose between such rivaling degrees of deliciousness? I am a huge fan of both Italian and Mexican food, and sometimes my cravings for them end up somehow intertwined, leaving me unsure of what I really want to make for dinner on any given night. Mexican Enchilada Lasagna is the perfect recipe for such a conundrum- it combines the layers of yummy goodness found in lasagna with flavors more traditional in Mexican dishes, all baked in a hot oven until it's a cheesy, bubbling mess of tastiness waiting to be served on your table for dinner.

I will apologize in advance- I was so starving and exhausted by the time this meal was ready to put on the table that the last thing on my mind was plating it nicely to take pictures to show you all. Needless to say, there are no pictures of our Mexican Enchilada Lasagna, but you should be able to get the general idea of what it should look like as we move through the recipe.

By the way, I am trying a different "style" for this post- please let me know if you prefer this one to the more "narrative-style" recipes. :) Thought this particular fashion may make the recipes more concise and easy to follow.

Here is what you will need to make Mexican Enchilada Lasagna:

-18 corn tortillas
-1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-1/2 cup chopped red/green bell pepper
-1/2 tsp. each of seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, and Sazon
-1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
-1 small can diced green chilies
-1 can no-salt added sweet corn, drained
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
-1 cup light or fat-free sour cream
-1 cup salsa
-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, brown together your meat, onion, and bell pepper, then drain. Add in all of your seasonings and spices, the tomatoes, green chilies, corn, and black beans. Mix together well and let cook for a few minutes longer to allow the flavors to fully fuse together.
3.  In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and the salsa. We like to use the fresh salsa you can find in the refrigerated section of your deli, but any kind will work great. We have used the jarred versions in the past with equally tasty results.
4. Stir the sour cream and salsa mixture into the meat and vegetable mixture, stirring well to combine. Simmer over low heat for just  few minutes to warm the filling before you start assembling your Mexican Enchilada Lasagna.
5. Once your filling is warmed through, take six of the corn tortillas and layer them into the bottom of the 9x13" pan, overlapping them as necessary. Spoon 1/2 of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas, then top with 1/2 cup of the cheese. (Use whatever kind you prefer- we enjoy the Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese.) Layer another 6 corn tortillas on top of the cheese, then top with the rest of the meat mixture and another 1/2 cup of cheese. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and the rest of the cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is crispy golden brown. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole and enjoy!

Okay, so there you have your recipe for Mexican Enchilada Lasagna! Not only is it tasty, but it is full of nutritious ingredients. If you use turkey, fat-free sour cream, and reduced-fat shredded cheese, your recipe will be end up pretty low in calories but will still pack a ton of flavor. I hope you will find this meal as satisfying as we do.

Again, feedback on this post's style compared to previous posts would be greatly appreciated!

Oh, and if the leftovers of this meal heat up nicely and look as tempting as they did the first go-round, I will try and take some pictures at that point to add on here later. If not, use your imagination!  :) It's good exercise for your brain, anyways!