Fruit Burritos 1

I absolutly love these two. I have more, but I love fresh fruit in mine and you just cannot get them fresh enough this time of year. So look for more closer to summer. You will not be sorry! =D

Banana Burrito

1 banana

1 large flour tortilla

Peanut Butter

So simple, just spread the peanut butter on the shell and place the banana in the center.

I folded the sides at each end of the banana and then rolled it up so that each end of the burrito is closed. But you can fold it how ever you like.

Apple Burrito

1 or 2 apples

1 large flour tortilla

Peanut butter

Deseed, skin, and dice the apple(s).

Spread peanut butter on shell and add the apple(s) to the center.

Fold as the banana burrito and your done!

My daughter likes jelly with banana burrito, so you can add that or even substitute the peanut butter with just jelly or Nutella. Whatever you and/or you family would prefer. Great after school snacks!

Cork Board Cabinet

Cork Board Cabinet

I have always placed my recipe cards in the corner of the cabinet door to hold it there while I was cooking. Well, since we have moved into this house, my brand new cabinets do not have enough space to hold recipe cards or business cards, so I had to come up with a way to hold the stuff I needed. So this is what I came up with.

I have had this cork board for a while trying to figure out what to do with it. So I bought some tacky poster stuff and cut down the cork board so it would fit and placed some of the tacky tape to the back on the cork board and placed it up in my cabinet door. Works wonders.

I placed two in my spice cabinet where I do most of my standing as I am cooking and then I also placed some in the cabinet where my coffee cups are held just on the other side of my kitchen where it is an easier place to tack up receipts and business cards of items my husband is more likely to need. Because if your husband is anything like mine, unless he needs salt and pepper, he will stay away from anything to do with the cooking and its cabinets. =D

Now all I have to do is convince my husband that I want the cabinets a different color, not sure on how well that will go over on him....he he he!

Chewy Granola Bars

So tonight we had a movie night. I made some tacos, simple and fast package stuff, nothing homemade this time. We had tacos, these granola bars with ice cream, and we watched the Smurf's movie. That was the funniest movie. The kids had a blast and we all had a wonderful evening.

My husband told me that these where like crack for him. He does not give many compliments about my food except, "Yeah, it's good." So I just LOVE when I can get more from him! =D

Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredents:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/ T vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1-1/4 rice cereal

1-1/2 apples, diced

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup caramel chips or butterscotch chips

(Caramel and/or butterscotch not pictured)

In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Then add vanilla and egg; mix well.

Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, mix. Slowly add to butter mixture.

Mix in oats and cereal.

Fold in apples, raisins, and chips.

Press into a greased 13x9in. pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

~Note: You can use chocolate chips, nuts, pears, mango, etc. This is a bar that you can add or omit anything that you or your family likes or dislikes. It is very substitutable. Just play with it a little bit and find out what works for you and your family. I promise you will be making this treat often. =D

I used a dish that was a tad larger then 13x9 and it became all sorts of crumbly, so you placed it in a bowl and added a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream to the top of it. I cannot express how amazing that tasted. I have made this for years and never thought of adding ice cream to it until tonight. I definitely recommend it.

Roast Beef Ciabatta

For a very long time I have been trying to figure out what I can do with my favorite cheese. Smoke Gouda. I do make simple grilled cheese sandwiches with it, but I wanted something new and more. So, I thought of this wonderfully tasty sandwich while I was cleaning my house after the holidays. I was surprise on how good it really was!

I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 T Worcestshire sauce

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/4 c onion (about)

1 c Deli Roast Beef (about)

1 packet of Splenda (not pictured below)

1 T Mayo

1/2 tsp Fresh Basil, finely chopped

1 Slice Smoked Gouda

1 Ciabatta roll

This is a one sandwich recipe, but of course if you are making it for more people, then of course just double or triple the recipe.

Splenda is not pictured, I forgot to add it to the picture. =D

I like to cut up my Roast beef instead of leaving it in slices, but you can if you would like.

Add the Worcestshire sauce, celery salt and Splenda to a frying pan, mix, then add the onions and roast beef. Cook on medium or high until the the roast beef becomes wrinkled. I usually cook of the liquid and then once it is all gone, remove from heat.

Mix mayo and basil together in a small bowl. (I do like a little more mayo then the rest of my family, so it also goes on taste. Play with this portion to the likes of the people eating it.)

Add a thin slice of smoked Gouda. Heat in oven at 350 degrees. The cheese will not melt quickly. It does take awhile for this type of cheese to melt, I pretty much just really warmed it.

Add the mayo and basil to the top of the Ciabatta roll.

Add the two together and enjoy!

You can taste the sweetness from the Splenda and the just a like tang from the Worcestshire sauce in the roast beef and the smokey goodness of the Gouda. Mmmm! =D

***Just wanted to let you know that I had tried to make 4 sandwiches and so I added more Worcestershire sauce to the recipe to accommodate the more beef, it turned out horrible. Please be careful with adding extra sauce to it. And DO NOT substitute the basil for Italian seasoning, HORRIBLE.....lol (1/9/2012)***

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!

I do hope that everyone had a safe and memorable New Years.

Top Thirteen Resolutions

13. Volunteer with others

12. Take a trip

11. Save money

10. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

9. Quit Smoking

8. Manage stress

7. Manage diet

6. Lose weight

5. Get fit

4. Get a better job

3. Get a better education

2. Eat Healthier

1. Drink less alcohol

(list according to usa.gov)

I am a little surprised at this list. I thought for sure the weight thing would be number one. But I have to admit, I do like a lot of these. I hope that people can start to get their resolution and feel good about it.

I believe though, that resolutions are made to be broken. Either you may not have been that serious or committed to it. It could also be that maybe the resolution is a bit out of reach, for example, you say you would like to loose 50 pounds by summer. Really? To me that is a little unrealistic. There are some people or some ways out there that will make it happen, but I still think that is very unrealistic. So just make sure it is realistic and stick with it.

I personally do not make any. I will have goals or plans, but I tend to stay away from the particular trend just because like the majority of people who make then, I have never really succeeded in completing a resolution. Therefore, I no longer make any. The closest thing I do is say that I want to become a better me. Plain and simple. More relaxed, less stress, happier healthier me. It is a pretty easy feet if you really think about it. I have been saying this one for about 5 years now and just the smallest change in me is noticeable.

What is your New Year's Resolution?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope your Christmas is filled with love!

Pesto Sausage Squash

So, I have to brag, I TOTALLY rocked it in the kitchen last night! I have always thought of my self as a pretty good cook. But WOW, I have to tell you, last night was a topper.

Ingredents:

1 Spaghetti Squash

1/2 White Onion (cut in long pieces)

15 Baby Carrots (cut lengthwise then into 1/3s)

Package of Turkey Sausage (6 brat sizes links)

Pesto

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Water

Prepare your squash as you would normally. There are many different ways of doing this, I favor the microwave option.

Cut up your sausage into five pieces each brat.

Saute' the onions until soft, add the carrots. Let them get a little wrinkly then add about 1/2 cup water and boil until carrots are soft. Let the water cook away. If you need to add more water, then go head. After the water is gone, add the squash and mix. Set to low and cook your sausage, stir occasionally.

Add the sausage to their own frying pan and brown the outsides. Add a cup of water and boil them until the middles are no longer pink. I have used the sweet turkey sausage.

Place the squash into a bowl and coat with the pesto. I have not given a measurement to the pesto because it is all about taste. If you like a lot of pesto, add a lot. I took a small forkful and placed it in bowl with a little pesto and tasted it until I got it just right. No need to ruin the whole meal if you are not sure what will taste good to you. Use a small serving bowl to help you.

Crescent Rolls

Pre-made Crescent Rolls

Shredded Cheese

Oregano

These are SO good and SO easy!

Take your pre-made crescent rolls and place them on a cooking sheet.

Sprinkle a little Oregano and cheese on top each then bake as directed.

I love doing this because if you use pre-made rolls, add a little something to them and they taste fresh and completes your meal.

I have been told that this meal does not look the tastiest, but I can promise you that it does not taste as it looks, I was a little scared at first, I even had to talk my daughter ( who is like Mikey) into trying it. She loved it as well.

Now, my husband was the clincher. When I make spaghetti squash, what he says is this, "Thank you for making something I do not like into something I can eat." I will take it as a compliment, if you don't like something but I can make it into something you can eat, it works. But, with this meal, he said it was good, had seconds and even took the left overs to work. Now if that isn't the best compliment on a food he does not like, then I do not know what is.....lol!

Enjoy!