Grasshoppers and Butterflies

Tasty Kitchen Anyone?

I love reading The Pioneer Woman website and following the happenings of fellow Oklahoman Ree's life.  Then I stumbled across her other website Tasty Kitchen.  It is awesome!  I love trying new recipes out and there are definitely a bunch I will be trying out on this site.  It is a community so you can join and post recipes of your own.  Let me just say that I am not being compensated in any way, shape or form for mentioning these sites.  I just like to share the things that I love with others so that they might enjoy them too!

On another completely different topic....

For the last couple of weeks or so I have had this weird pressure like sensation on the left side of my body.  It was mainly in my neck and jaw but sometimes on the left side of my chest too.  Plus my left hand was tingling from time to time.  So I start searching the internet (sometimes this is not a good thing) and start thinking to myself that I could be on the verge of a heart attack.  After a few nights of not being able to sleep I decided to go to an after hours clinic and have it checked out.

The doctor did a chest x-ray and an EKG and I am happy to report that he said I would be around for graduation (kids) and all that good stuff.  So what is the deal you ask?  I guess it is some kind of muscle or nerve thing that I aggravated somehow.  No more anxiety and I slept for eleven hours last night!

Anywho, my computer is about to run out of battery juice so I will sign off for the evening.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I was going through my recipes and ran across one for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake so I decided to give it a try.  First of all, if you know me then you know that I love just about any food containing chocolate and peanut butter.  Second of all, YUM!  It was super easy to make too.

It doesn't have that many ingredients as you can see and it goes together quickly.  Scroll down for the recipe if you want it!

 

Doesn't it look absolutely yummy???

Make a Smilebox recipe

Oven Baked Parmesan Potatoes

This is actually a recipe of my own.  I have made them a few times and my daughters love them.

Oven Baked Parmesan Potatoes

10 medium potatoes (cubed)
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (divided)
1 Tbsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a 9x13 casserole dish combine all ingredients except for 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (reserve for last step).  Mix well and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and give potatoes a good stir.  Re-cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir one last time.  Top potatoes with remaining Parmesan Cheese.  DO NOT COVER and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of potatoes start to turn golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!!

I am not an expert recipe writer but I think you can follow it easy enough.  Have a great day!!

Getting Back In The Groove

We arrived home late Sunday night and spent the majority of yesterday just chillin' out and getting back in the groove of things.  I will post a few pictures later of some highlights of our vacation but for now I will leave you with a recipe.

My kids woke up and said they wanted No Bake Cookies.  My friend Krysta found a recipe online a while ago that she shared with me so that is what we made this morning.  They are so delicious!  Here you go...it is from allrecipes.com.

No Bake Cookies III

2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup milk

1 pinch salt

3 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan bring sugar, cocoa, margarine, milk, and salt to a rapid boil for 1 minute.
Add quick cooking oats, peanut butter, and vanilla; mix well.
Working quickly, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper, and let cool.

There you have it.  Go quickly and make some right now......just don't eat all of them at once!

My Menu Plans...

for the next two weeks anyway.  Starting Sunday this is what we will be eating in our household.  Now I am off to work on the two weeks after that!  So here it is in two different formats.

Download MenuPlannerWeek1-2(1)(.pdf format)

Download MenuPlannerWeek1-2(.xls format)

I am still working on the shopping list.  I will post that sometime tomorrow.  Then I will post some information and ideas on cutting them out and matting them on card stock.

Jennifer

Favorite Recipes

As the colder weather approaches and Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner I start to crave different comfort foods that are always present at our family get togethers.  These are just two of my favorite "Holiday" traditions.

The first has been a favorite of mine for many years.  I am sure most everyone has either tried these or at least heard of them.  My mom has made these every Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember!

Sausage Balls

3 Cups Bisquick (or any other baking mix)

1 lb. sausage

10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (grated)

Mix all ingredients in bowl.  Roll into balls.  Place on well greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  **I use the food processor to mix up all the ingrediants.  I just do half the recipe at a time because all of it won't fit in my food processor.

The next recipe is a favorite of my brother's.  They always accompany the sausage balls.

Green Chile Bites

6 eggs beaten

4 cups grated cheddar cheese (1 lb.)

1 4 oz. can chopped, mild green chiles

Butter or spray 8 x 8 pan.  Spread green chiles over bottom.  Sprinkle cheese over chiles and pour eggs over all.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes until firm.  Let stand 5 minutes and cut into 1" squares.  Serve on Triscuits.

That is all for now!

Jennifer