Fruit Pizza

Wow, it's been awhile since I've blogged....

The other day my sister in law called and asked for my fruit pizza recipe.  She made individual ones for my nephew's preschool class using a single sugar cookie.  Needless to say, she said it went over well with the kiddos had several moms request the recipe.  So here I am to share with all of you!!!

The joke is that the secret is in the sauce.  It's not really a joke because the sauce adds some extra deliciousness to it.  Most of the time I double this recipe because I take it to family dinners and pot lucks....Who doesn't love a pot luck!!!!!

The Recipe (can be doubled)

1 Tube Sugar Cookie Dough
1 Brick of Cream Cheese
3 Cups powdered sugar
4 Ounces of Cool Whip
1 tsp Vanilla

1 15.25 Ounce Can of Pineapple Chunks, drained reserving the pineapple juice for sauce
1 tsp Sugar
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1 Tbsp Corn Starch

Lemon Juice
Fresh Fruit of choice, diced
(I use, 1 diced banana, 1 diced apple, 1 cup of grapes, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1 cup sliced strawberries,  2-3 diced kiwis, 1 15.25 ounce can of pineapple chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Press sugar cookie dough out on a 9x13 cookie sheet.  Bake according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes), or until dough is done.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Dice fruit and place in a bowl.  Add canned pineapple chunks.  Drizzle Lemon Juice over the top and mix fruit together.  Set aside.

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and cool whip in a mixing bowl until well combined.  Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled cookie dough crust. Placed diced fruit on top of the cream cheese mixture.

For the "secret sauce"... Whisk corn starch and cold water together in a glass, set aside.  In a pan, heat the pineapple juice, sugar, and cinnamon until it starts to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the water and corn starch mixture until the sauce is thickened.  Allow sauce to cool and pour over the fruit.  Serve it up and ENJOY!  

Fresh Salsa

This is the time of year when gardens are in full swing and producing fresh tomatoes...right??  Yes!!!  Unless it is my garden, then you have yet to harvest anything but a cucumber.  Thankfully, my MIL has a garden so I can "steal" some produce to make delicious fresh salsa!  I do however, have a lot of tomatoes set on and I'm patiently waiting for them to grow and ripen {tick tock tick tock}.

I was asked on TFW's Facebook page to share the recipe for my fresh salsa and I am finally getting around to sharing!  It's been a crazy busy summer and the blog has been "neglected" just a bit.  So if you are here, thanks for hanging with me!  There will be more to come, I promise!

I must admit, I am one of those who just throws stuff together and I don't measure.  I'm going to give you the gist of what I throw in my fresh salsa the best I can.  Of course, I might tweak it a little after I finish by adding a little of this or that.

Basic Fresh Salsa

6 garden tomatoes, seeded and chopped  

1 purple onion, chopped 

3-4 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or 1 Tbsp dried cilantro

salt & pepper to taste

Sometimes I add a little sugar if I want it sweet...about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Taste and then TWEAK to your liking.  I like to make it ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry.

ENJOY!!!

3-2-1 Cucumber Salad

3 Cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, and a couple other ingredients and you have yourself a delicious summertime salad.  I can't wait to make this with my fresh produce...once my garden starts producing!!!

This is one of my Hubs favorites.  It is also a salad that I deliver to the field often.  It has a nice creamy sauce topping the refreshing veggies and accompanies most meals.  

3 cucumbers, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1 Cup Mayo
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Dill Weed
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Chill before serving.

{{{HUGS}}} 

Peanut Butter Protein Shake

I have mentioned on The Farmer's Wife Facebook page that I joined a boot camp!  I can't believe that I am in LOVE with exercise!  Okay, that might be going a little too far!  I do look forward to my class and I am bummed my class is already over.  There will be another one offered in July and you can bet the farm on it that I will attend.  Exercise makes me feel good...mentally, it gives me some social time with my friends that attend, and my body is defiantly benefiting from it!!

I shared my new breakfast go-to shake over at Her View From Home.  Please click here for the recipe.

{{{HUGS}}}

Fresh Strawberry Pie

We are enjoying some Spring weather! HAPPY DANCE!!!  Winter has been around here for too long! With the gorgeous day we had yesterday I decided to make a fresh strawberry pie.  It FINALLY feels like S~P~R~I~N~G!  The gorgeous weather does a lot for one.  I will tell you I was getting a little grumpy with the cold dreary snow that showed its face the last several weeks.  

Today {since it is already gorgeous out as I type this at 7am}, I am going to take the kids and visit our local greenhouse to get this years garden plants.   I have a very small raised garden.  The hubs plans on building me another one because he wants more tomatoes... which is fine by me!  I am deathly afraid of snakes, so with a raised garden I feel that they are less likely to be in MY space! Ha!  My oldest daughter wants a strawberry bed as well.  Which leads me to my pie....

No, these strawberries are not from my garden or my MIL's or my friends, which is where I usually snag them from.  It's been too cold this year to enjoy garden strawberries.  I did buy these at my fabulous little grocery store!  I love my store!  If you have read my blog over the years you have probably heard me mention this several times.  In fact, I talked with my grocer about blogging a trip to the store and he said to go for it.  So maybe someday I will take you shopping with me and ya'll can say hi to Bruce....1. 2. 3.  Hi Bruce!!! {sorry, that was a Finding Nemo quote}

The pie.... {I can't focus this morning}

This recipe is for 2 pies.  Only want 1 pie...do half the recipe.

2  9" baked pie shells

1 8oz pkg. Cream Cheese

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

3 Quarts Strawberries

2 Cups Sugar

4 Tbsp White Karo Corn Syrup

2 Cups Water

1 3 oz. Pkg. Strawberry Jell-o

1/4 Cup PLUS 2 Tbsp Cornstarch 

1 tsp Salt

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until well blended.  Divide mixture equally and spread over both pie shells.  Cook sugar corn syrup, water, cornstarch, and salt over medium heat until thick, add jell-o and combine.  Allow to cool.  While mixture cools, wash, hull, and slice the strawberries.  Arrange strawberries in both pie shells.  Pour mixture jell-o mixture over strawberries and refrigerate.  Top pie with your favorite whipped topping.     

{{{HUGS}}}

Monster Cookie Bars

I shared the recipe for Monster Cookie Bars over at Her View From Home.  They are a great alternative when you aren't up to making the traditional monster cookies.  Everyone loves a quick easy recipe, right!!!  

These cookie bars are very soft and full of my favorite food group....chocolate!  I will defiantly be making them this summer for a field meal dessert!!!!

{{{HUGS}}}

I'm Going To Become A Hoarder...{and a recipe}

If you follow me on Facebook, you probably saw the question I asked about chocolate chips.  I prefer milk chocolate chips except when it comes to things like chocolate dipped strawberries.  The semi-sweet work much better for that.  I am an addict of chocolate.  The problem being, is my entire household is too.  This can be a serious frustration folks!!!!  I will explain.....

The other night, I was craving a nibble of cookie dough and one....just ONE... fresh baked chocolate chip cookie.  That is ALL I wanted!!!  This is no problem because I'm the type of person that if I want something, I will make it.  So, I started grabbing the ingredients to make cookies.  I went to the freezer where I keep my chocolate chips and I could not find any.  That was okay, because I know that I have a chocolate loving household and they find it necessary to walk by the freezer and grab a handful of chocolate chips whenever they want.  It happens everyday!  I decided I would start hiding a bag of chocolate chips so that when I was in NEED of some....you know...for baking, I would have some.  I went to the cabinet where I stashed an extra bag and when I couldn't find them I went into chocolate shock!!!  Ugh!!!  I was so darn frustrated.  It was one of those "crabby cravings" I guess.  When my hubs got home I explained that I wanted to make chocolate chips and I purposely hid a bag for this very occasion.  To which he replied to me "whelp, I found em".

It is apparent that in this house chocolate chips are a hot commodity.  The last time I went to the store I picked up 4 bags of the hot item.  When I got home and put the groceries away I decided I will put 2 bags in the freezer and try another attempt at hiding the other bags.  At this point, I decided maybe I should become a hoarder of chocolate chips!

What is a hoarder?

hoard |hôrd|nouna stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded : he came back to rescue his little hoard of gold.• an ancient store of coins or other valuable artifacts : a hoard of Romano-British bronzes.• an amassed store of useful information or facts, retained for future use : a hoard of secret information about his work.verb [ trans. ]amass (money or valued objects) and hide or store away : thousands of antiques hoarded by a compulsive collector.• accumulate a supply of (something) in a time of scarcity : many of the boat people had hoarded rations.• reserve in the mind for future use : [as adj. ] ( hoarded) a year's worth of hoarded resentments and grudges.

Yep, I think that is what I need to become!

  I began thinking of places I could "hoard" my precious milk chocolate chips.  Where you might ask?  Well here is a few places I thought my family may never find them:

1. I could put some by the toilet paper.  I swear I am the only one that can put a new roll back on the holder so they would likely never find them there.
2.   The laundry room....need I explain more!
3.  My sock drawer.  If you see me with melted chocolate on my socks....don't judge!
4.  With the cleaning supplies....another one I don't need to explain.

This list is just a start, if you have a suggestion I would love to hear it.  It might save me from another chocolate shock!

Since my fresh baked cookie craving wasn't going to leave I ended up making Reece's Cookies.

Reese's Cookies are actually delicious!  They did help with my cookie craving.

You can find the recipe on the back of a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, but I will share it with you here as well.

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

3/4 Cup Cocoa

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/4 Cups Butter, softened

2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 pkg. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Stir in peanut butter chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-9 minutes.  

P.S.  If you ever watch Hoarders on TV and they air an episode about a chocolate hoarder please know I had do it for myself!!!

{{{HUGS}}}

No Bake "Cow Pie" Cookies

These Cow Pie Cookies are my go to sweet treat when I'm short on time in the middle of a big ole chocolate craving.  If you are not a great baker, I guarantee you can make these.  Well, that is if you can boil water....or the ingredients in this case.

2 Cups Sugar

4 Tbsp Cocoa

1 Stick Butter

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Cup Peanut Butter

1 tsp Vanilla

3 Cups Quick Oats

In a saucepan bring to boil the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk.  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Then add the vanilla and peanut butter and stir until peanut butter is melted.  In a large bowl combine the oatmeal and chocolate mixture.  On a sheet pan line with wax paper, drop by spoonfuls and allow to harden.   I've been known to stick them in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the that process....remember, I crave chocolate.

{{{HUGS}}}

Meaty Cornbread Casserole

Do you ever go to your pantry and look for something to make and you can't decide on anything?  Yeah, I was at a loss the other day so I decided to throw some stuff together in hopes that it turned out.

I grabbed the following:

1 box of corn muffin mix

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes

Worcestershire sauce

Chili powder

1 package of Ranch dip

1 small onion

1 green pepper

2 cloves of garlic

1 pound of hamburger

Then later I grabbed:

1 8oz. can of tomato sauce

1 cup of shredded cheese

I diced the green pepper and onion and minced the garlic.  I browned the hamburger with onion and green pepper and then added the garlic when the meat was almost done.  Then I added the tomatoes, drained pinto beans, a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon of chili powder, and the dry Ranch packet.  It seemed to be a little dry, so I added a small can of tomato sauce and allowed the mixture to simmer about 5 minutes.

Next, I transferred the mixture into a sprayed baking dish.  Topped it with cheese and the topped it with the prepared corn muffin mix and baked at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. 

The cornbread will look nice and golden brown when it is finished.

Sorry for the horrible picture, but this is what I ended up with.

My hubs described it as thick chili with corn bread on top.  It had a little kick to it and wasn't too bad for my latest concoction!!!  

{{{HUGS}}}

Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

During the winter storm the other day I posted a picture of some cinnamon rolls on my Facebook page.  I have had several requests for the recipe so I thought I would share it!!!  There is nothing better than fresh warm cinnamon rolls with a gooey caramel topping to comfort you during a cold blizzard...oh, and sweatpants!!!

You will need:

2 loaves of frozen bread dough {YEP, I cheated}

Cinnamon

3 Sticks of Butter {hope you are not worried about your diet}

Brown Sugar

White Sugar

Vanilla Ice Cream

Thaw your bread according to the package directions.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough out about 1/4 of an inch thick in an oval shape on a floured surface.  I use 2 loaves so I do all of these steps twice or in twos...make sense.  Take one stick of softened butter and smear over the dough {using half on each loaf}.  Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the butter {about 2 TBSP per loaf}.  Then lightly sprinkle some brown sugar over the cinnamon.  You will probably use about 1/2 cup of brown sugar per loaf.  Roll the dough up so you have a long tube.  Cut the rolls so they are about 3/4 of an inch thick.  You should get 12 rolls per loaf.  Transfer the rolls to a greased 9x13 pan {so 2 pans}.

For the gooey goodness....

In a sauce pan, melt 2 sticks of butter and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of ice cream.  Add 1 cup each of brown sugar and white sugar.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Pour mixture evenly over the 2 pans of cinnamon rolls.  Allow the rolls to rise at room temperature until they are almost double in size.   I set mine on top of my stove while my oven preheats which helps them rise. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  When rolls are finished allow them to cool a few minutes then flip them out on a cookie sheet and allow to cool completely {ah, who am I kidding...allow them to cool until they won't burn your mouth}.  ENJOY!!!

If you want to prepare these the evening before you can.  Just don't let them rise at room temperature, but instead cover them with saran wrap sprayed with cooking spray and place in the refrigerator overnight.  They will slowly rise overnight and will be ready to pop in the oven in the morning.  

{{{HUGS}}} 

Maybe the BEST Brownies Ever!!!

Probably like many of you, I am addicted to Pinterest.  The worst part about Pinterest (other than it can consume too much of time) is that when I see a delicious looking food pin, I make it.  Okay, so it is not bad that I make things from Pinterest, but being a chocolate lover I don't need to consume more calories!  Ugh, I admit.... I have a HUGE sweet tooth.

Moving on, my friend pinned these little jewels and I knew I had to make them.  Ohhh my, they are so yummy!!!  They are really sweet so I advise drinking a cold glass of milk with them.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES!!!!!!

You can find the original recipe HERE along with a bunch of others!!!  Check it out!!!  I did alter my peanut butter dough recipe just a little.

9x13 pan of brownies baked and cooled 

1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 & 1/4 cups plain m&m's

Mix peanut butter and butter until smooth.  Add sugar and brown sugar and mix until smooth.  Add milk and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.  Add the flour and mix until smooth.  Fold in the M&M's or sprinkle them on top of the peanut butter dough after you spread it over the brownies.

The original recipe called for 2 cups of flour and pretzel M&M's.  

Enjoy!!!

{{{HUGS}}}

Easy To Make Homemade Tortillas

I shared my Southwest Quesadilla Burger recipe and now I want to share the delicious tortilla recipe too.  If you have never tasted fresh tortillas you are missing out.  So go grab a few ingredients and whip up some....or maybe I should say roll some out!!!  

Click here for the recipe.

{{{HUGS}}}

Southwest Quesadilla Burger

Here is a little twist on the old fashioned hamburger!  

The Southwest Quesadilla Burger is housed in a flour tortilla and topped with pepper-jack cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and a succulent southwest sauce.  YUM-O!!!

Lets start with the pico de gallo shall we.  You will need 1/2 of an onion, 3-4 tomatoes, a jalapeno, a lime or lime juice, dried or fresh cilantro, a glove of garlic or minced garlic, and some salt and pepper.

Chop the onion.

De-seed the jalapeno if you don't want your pico de gallo too hot.  Then chop.

Mince the clove of garlic or use about 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.  I was out of garlic cloves when I made this {eeek}.

Combine the chopped ingredients.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of cilantro.

 And some salt and pepper to taste.

Add about a tablespoon of lime juice and stir.  Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Moving on...the Southwest Sauce.

You will need:

16oz tub Sour Cream

1/4 tsp.  Salt

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 Tbsp. Cilantro

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1/2 tsp. Minced Garlic

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper {I used Peppercorn Medley}

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice

Tabasco to taste

Add all the ingredients to a bowl.

Give it a good stir to combine the seasonings with the sour cream.

Then add Tabasco sauce to taste.  I'm pretty generous with the Tabasco sauce because I prefer things to have some "kick" to them.

Place sauce in the refrigerator to chill while you make your hamburgers.

For the hamburger, season to your liking and fry or grill.  Add a slice of pepper-jack cheese and allow to slightly melt before removing from heat.  Then heat flour tortillas over medium-high heat until crispy.  I made my tortillas from scratch, but you can use small packaged flour tortillas. 

Top your tortilla with the hamburger.  Then add lettuce, the pico de gallo, and the southwest sauce.  Top with another tortilla.  Enjoy!!!

Because I have a love affair with Mexican food I ate this for lunch and supper today....just thought I would share!!!

{{{HUGS}}}

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Double Brownies

Are you gearing up for all your Christmas baking?  Do you take your neighbors a plate full of Christmas goodies?  Maybe you just need a new twist on an old recipe.  If so, give these double brownies a try!

I love all things chocolate, especially brownies.  These brownies combine a blonde brownie along with a chocolate brownie and are not overly sweet, but the caramel icing will make up for it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Bottom layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Caramel Icing:
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 to 6 Tbsp milk
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts.  Spread into a greased 9x13 baking pan.  

For the middle layer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs.  Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture.  Add nuts.  Spread over the bottom layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely.  

For the icing, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar and milk; bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat.  Cool just until warm; beat in confectioners' sugar until the icing achieves spreading consistency. Spread over brownies.  Let stand until set.  Cut into bars.  Enjoy!

I shared this recipe at Her View From Home.

{{{HUGS}}}

Skillet Goulash

A little goulash history from our house.... my oldest daughter hated it and everyone else loved it.  Now my middle daughter hates and everyone else loves it.  Who will hate it next?  No, it is nothing fancy, but it is another go to recipe in my house and does not involve spaghetti sauce.  This is the goulash recipe I grew up on and I have been making it since I started cooking.  It is simple and I can always use simple in my life!!!

1 lb Hamburger

2 Cups Macaroni

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion

2 14oz. cans of Stewed Tomatoes (or 1 large can)

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Salt & Pepper to taste

Parsley to garnish

Brown hamburger and onion over medium-high heat until done.  Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain.  Combine cooked hamburger and macaroni in a large skillet.  Place stewed tomatoes in a food processor or blender and puree.  Now, if you like chunks of tomatoes you can skip this step, but the reason my kids didn't like it is because of the tomato chunks so I puree them....problem solved!!!  Add pureed tomatoes to meat and macaroni.  Add remaining ingredients except parsley.  Simmer over medium heat about 5 minutes.  Top with parsley for garnishment.  Enjoy!!

{{{HUGS}}}

Mexican Lasagna

I want to share with you one of our family favorite recipes.  I started making this about 16 years ago and since then has become a favorite in each of my sister in law's kitchens too.  So it is a keeper!!!  It is one of those simple go to meals that you can make when you are short on time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 lbs. hamburger

1 small onion, chopped

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 - 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce

1 cup sour cream

1 - 4 oz. can of green chilies {my SIL uses Ro-tel tomatoes instead}

4 burrito size tortilla shells

4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Brown hamburger and onion together over medium-high heat until meat is cooked.  Then add taco seasoning, garlic salt, enchilada sauce, sour cream, green chilies, and salt a pepper.  Stir together.  Layer 2 of the tortillas in a greased 9x13 pan.  Layer half of the meat mixture then top with half of the cheese.  Repeat a second layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa.  Enjoy!!!!

Fresh Pumpkin Bread

Since it is fall and since I am in the baking mood and since I have a lot of pumpkin I have been making my favorite pumpkin recipes...whew!!!  I also may or may not have snuck some pumpkin in a few sauces....shhh don't tell my kids...trust me....a couple of my kids wouldn't eat if they knew I put some pumpkin in their spaghetti sauce.  Anyone else sneak veggies in like that?

This morning I made Fresh Pumpkin Bread!

Here is the recipe:

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Fresh Cooked Pumpkin

2 Eggs

1/4 Water

1/4 Cup Oil

1/4 Cup Applesauce

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, oil, and applesauce.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spice together.  Slowly mix dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture and combine.  Pour into a greased bread pan and bake for 75 minutes.

I have a little announcement to make.  I will be contributing over at Her View From Home.  I'm sure some of my Nebraska readers are familiar with it, but if no...it is a site dedicated to women.  Be sure to hop over there and check it out!!!  You can find another pumpkin recipe here along with many more at HVFH.

{{{HUGS}}}