Making The First Birthday A Smash!

October 30, 2013 by 1 Comment

(Photo Courtesy of Betty Crocker)

I can remember back to both my girls’ 1st birthday parties. I spent lots of time figuring out the perfect theme, the decor, the guest list, and of course the food. I loved choosing these things because, let’s face it, I thought they were cute, not necessarily because my daughters even cared. But hey, that’s the fun of it right? By the way, if you need a few Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party ideas, there are some pretty fantastic ones HERE.

And then there’s this…

Oh yeah, now we’re talking! Let’s just be honest with ourselves. 1st birthdays are mainly about one thing and one thing only. Watching a child dig right into a massive mound of sugary, gooey, frosting-laced cake! We don’t concern ourselves with the mess that will be made, the hyped-up 1 year old full of sugar who will probably have a major meltdown in a couple of hours, or even the work that goes into making the smash cake. It’s all about the memory of that moment. And it’s a good one!

According to a recent survey that Betty Crocker did, 58% of moms said that the smash cake was the most memorable part of their precious one’s birthday party. I have to say that I’m with that 58%. I can remember both of my girls’ moment of smash cake bliss. It’s something that I will treasure forever.

If your little one has their first birthday coming up, chances are you’ve been thinking about party details. I love some of the ideas that Betty Crocker has for smash cakes. I especially like the No. 1 Cutout Cake at the top of this post! You can find out how to make that and many others HERE.

The infographic below also has some good ideas for whipping up a birthday smash cake.

Whatever kinda cake or decorations that you choose to create or have at your little one’s special birthday party, just remember that it’s all about the memories! Take lots of pictures, involve your loved ones, and DON’T STRESS! They only have a 1st birthday once and the memories will last a lifetime.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

 


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Eclair Cake- It’s So Stinkin’ Good

September 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Let me begin by apologizing for the lower-than-normal quality pictures. You have to understand that I’ve made this cake a few times in the past few weeks and it was brought to my attention that I had to share it with you and therefore, I haven’t gotten a chance to take better pictures. Not to mention that each time I make it, the entire cake is gone before I can come close to taking pictures.

It’s that good y’all…

My mom had a recipe in her collection from years and years ago for Eclair Cake and she just raved about it. She used to have it all the time, but hadn’t made it in a long time. I recently came across a recipe that seemed similar and decided to make it for a family that we were taking a meal to. I knew my family wasn’t going to be happy with me if I left them out so I made one for us too.

Man oh man was this cake a hit! But I should’ve known because this cake is awfully similar to the Strawberry Icebox Cake that I make. There is just something about graham crackers and pudding in the refrigerator.

I think that the best part about this cake (aside from how amazingly tasty it is) is how easy it is to make! 5 ingredients, 10 minutes, and BOOM I’m mom and wife of the year.

And to think, you didn’t even have to turn on the oven!

Make this cake. This is an order. You will not be upset. I promise.

The only difference in my mom’s recipe and this one is basically the frosting part. Her’s had a bunch of ingredients and required extra refrigeration. I’m sure it tasted amazing, but I really like the use of frosting and according to my husband and girls, it’s the very best part!

Eclair Cake- It’s So Stinkin’ Good

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Pennywise Cook

This no-bake Eclair cake will be gone in no time!

Ingredients

  • 1 Package Honey Graham Crackers
  • 2 Packages Instant French Vanilla Pudding
  • 3 c. Cold Milk
  • 1 (8 oz) Tub Whipped Cream
  • 1 tub Chocolate Frosting

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 packages french vanilla pudding and milk. Mix until completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Fold in whipped cream until combined well.
  2. Meanwhile, line a 9×13 dish with graham crackers.
  3. Pour half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers and spread evenly.
  4. Place another layer of graham crackers. Pour the rest of the pudding mixture over the top of the second layer and spread evenly.
  5. Place another layer of graham crackers on top.
  6. Take the top off the frosting and remove the foil cover. Place the tub in the microwave for 40 seconds or until melted.
  7. Pour over the last graham cracker layer and spread evenly.
  8. Place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours and serve!

I could not find where I originally found this recipe (so sorry!), but the same one is found at All Recipes.


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Cheesy Chicken and Cornbread Casserole

September 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment


What is it about the word casserole? What exactly is a casserole? Let me consult The Google: a kind of stew or side dish that is cooked slowly in an oven. Though these days, almost anything can be considered a casserole. It doesn’t even matter the ingredients, does it?

Have some tomatoes and potatoes? Throw them in a dish, bake and you have a tomato potato casserole! I think that’s why I like casseroles so much. They are so forgiving. Well, most of them anyways. I’ve had my share of casserole failures… I just love that they are so simple and quick. Throw together what you have on-hand and bake at 350 degrees and you’ve got dinner. Casseroles were made for weeknights when momma has to grow a 3rd arm to get everything done. Who am I kidding? I grow my 3rd arm around 8am each day at breakfast…

Especially now that school has started, dinner isn’t always first thing on my mind. School doesn’t just mean the start of classes. It can also mean sports, extra-curriculars, homework, Bible study, and anything else that you can possible occupy lots of time with. My girls are still young so I’m not always a chicken with my head cut off, but I do have to say that 1st grade homework is no joke! It may not be hard, but keeping my 1st grader focused can be a chore.

Enough to build up an appetite…

For a casserole maybe?

I’ve always been a fan of those casseroles where you top it with a bread of some sort. We always used to make the chili with the cornbread on top when we were newlyweds. I’m going to be honest here and admit that it was from a box, but don’t judge. Who hasn’t made a gourmet dinner from a box while they were a newlywed? I’m also going to admit that I use boxed meals here at least once a week. You can’t have a 2 year-old and not make a little mac and cheese from a box. You just can’t. Well I can’t anyways.

Casseroles! Yes, casseroles. This one was a result of throwing together a lot of things that we really enjoy and doing everything that I could to avoid putting in those “cream of” soups”. It seems like every casserole contains that ingredient.

Not this one! I used fresh chicken, but if you have leftover rotisserie chicken or perhaps some grilled chicken, this would be an awesome way to use it up. Otherwise whatever kinda chicken you can find on sale will work. I’m all about cheap. Though I’m not sure that the canned stuff…

You can find a ton of ideas for casseroles over at Country Crock. Some interesting facts about Country Crock:

  • Have 0g trans fat per serving
  • Contain no partially hydrogenated oils (Yipee!)
  • Have no cholesterol
  • Are 70% less fat than butter per serving (WOW)
  • Have 30% fewer calories than butter per serving

Cheesy Chicken and Cornbread Casserole
Recipe Type: Main Dish, Chicken
Author: Pennywise Cook
Who doesn’t enjoy a simple and quick chicken casserole?
Ingredients
  • 3/4 lb Chicken Breast/Tenders, cut into bite-size pieces (about 3 breasts)
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 10.5 oz can cream corn
  • 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese + 1/4. c for topping (if desired)
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 1 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces for dotting the top (if desired)
  • cornbread mix created according to package
  • s & p to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to degree listed on cornbread mix. Spray a 9×13 dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in chicken, garlic, onion, and s&p. Cook until chicken is not longer pink.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cream corn, 1 c. cheddar cheese and sour cream until well mixed. Add in chicken. (Now would be a great time to create your cornbread batter!)
  4. Pour mixture into 9×13 dish and spread evenly. Top with cornbread batter and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the other 1/4 c. cheddar cheese and dot with butter.
  5. Place in oven and cook the time listed on your cornbread mix.
  6. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve!
Notes

You are more than welcome to make your own cornbread for the top, just be sure to have the ingredients necessary when you start you casserole!

I used a slightly smaller dish than a 9×13 for mine. I can’t tell you what size because I honestly have no idea, but I think that a 9×13 will be similar. If not, then a square dish might work. I have yet to try this in a different size dish.

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.


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Homemade Tortilla Chips: 3 Ways

September 5, 2013 by 1 Comment

First of all, just let me say HELLO THERE! I’ve been just a little preoccupied lately with some personal things and have neglected you. I know…bad blogger, bad. But I’m going to work real hard to make it up to you…I promise.

I thought I’d start this back-to-school season with a simple recipe for something that everyone likes, tortilla chips! The reason that I ever made these in the first place can be credited to my husband. Bless his heart, he almost never gets an urge to cook anything. So when he came to me and said he wanted to “cook up” some homemade tortilla chips, I was ON IT!

There could not be a simpler thing to make that tastes so very close to what you buy in the store. And they are so much cheaper this way as well. One big bag of corn tortillas will run you between $1- $2, but will make the equivalent to probably 2-3 bags of tortilla chips from the store.

Plus, YOU get to take the credit for calling them homemade!

Here are 3 different ways to make your crunchy corn tortilla beauties. I’ll tell you my favorite when we’re done…

As you can probably imagine, this is the quickest and easiest method for making your chips. No preheating, no baking sheet, no chips, and no oil. Are you paying attention? Of course you need chips, you silly head. Get it together!

Just making sure you’re paying attention…

You’re going to need to make these in batches, a tortilla or two at a time.

1) Cut the tortillas into desired chip size.

2) Place tortilla pieces evenly (not overlapping) on a large microwave-safe plate.

3) Heat 45 seconds. Remove and flip. Heat another 45 seconds.

4) Remove from microwave, salt (if desired) and let sit for a minute or two. They will crisp even more!

Voila! It’s simple. Each microwave is different, so your microwave may need less or perhaps more cooking time to get them just right. You want the chips to brown, but not burn so be sure to keep your eye on the batches as you make them.

Ok, I said I was going to wait until the end to tell you my favorite method, but I’m sure by now that you realize I have no patience. And if you didn’t know that, you do now! This was my favorite method. The perfect crispness with a light and airy feel. These taste most like what you buy at the store. To me anyways..

Let’s do this:

1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) Cut your tortillas into desired size.

3) Place pieces evenly over baking sheet. No need to grease it.

4) Bake for 6-8 minutes. Flip chips over and bake for another 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy.

5) Remove from oven. Season and serve! They will crisp a little more as they cool.

Once again, you’ll want to be sure to keep an eye on them. If they are turning dark brown, they are close to burning. You want them golden, not brown.


The last method is from your skillet or fryer! This is still a really simple way to make them. It’s also fairly quick. It’s just not as healthy as the other methods. My husband liked these the best!

1) Cut tortillas into desired size pieces. Place a few paper towels on a large plate to dry the chips when they finish frying.

2) Pour enough oil of choice (I used vegetable oil) into skillet that it goes 2/3 the way to the top. You need enough for the chips to swim in. Heat to medium-high. I didn’t check the temperature of my oil, I just made sure that the oil bubbled when I placed my wooden spoon in it.

3) Place 4-5 chips at a time into the oil. You don’t want to overcrowd, so make sure they aren’t overlapping. Fry them for approximately 2 minutes flipping them over to brown both sides if desired. I did this at first, but got lazy and quit flipping eventually. The chips lived.

4) Place on paper towels and continue frying in batches.

Voila!

All of these methods can be adjusted based on your microwave, oven, and oil temperature. You may even come up with tricks and techniques to make them better. This is just a good starting point for making your own homemade tortilla chips.

Let me know what you think about these in the comments below! 🙂


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Simple Mini Cottage Pies

July 2, 2013 by 2 Comments

My husband and I went to England a few years ago. We indulged in all of the meals that you might associate with England like Fish ‘N Chips, Bangers and Mash, and of course Shepherd’s Pie. I think I was more excited to eat their food than I was to see the sites!

You may have heard of Shepherd’s Pie here in the US and have most likely eaten it before. It’s such an easy dish that almost anyone likes. But did you know that the term started out as Cottage Pie? Cottage Pie dates all the way back to 1791 when the potato was found to be an affordable option for poor folks to eat. They’d use whatever meat they had leftover and line the dish with mashed potatoes and then top it with them as well. Sound familiar? It wasn’t until 1877 that folks started calling it Shepherd’s Pie. (via Wikipedia) There are tons of variations on making this dish, but I wanted to share this easy one with you!

I’ve been making this for years. Probably not as often as I should, but when I do it’s a hit!

You guys know me and my healthification (technical word there) of my meals. In this one, I of course use ground turkey or extra lean ground beef, but I also wanted to work on portion control. When something is really good like Cottage Pie, you need a stopping point! Or at least I do…

I busted out my little souffle dishes to make these and it was the perfect individual amount. As a side note, I just realized that I’ve never made a souffle before. Challenge ACCEPTED!

Anywho, if you need a really easy dinner idea this week you should definitely consider this meal. Here’s how to make them!

Simple Mini Cottage Pies
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Brittish
Author: Pennywise Cook
A simple way to change up your every day Shepherd’s Pie. Try these super simple Cottage Pies!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef (or turkey)
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 1 can Mixed Vegetables (drained)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 2 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 (4 serving) pkg Instant Mashed Potatoes cooked according to package
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1/2 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with onion until onions are translucent. Drain. Add minced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.
  3. Add can of mixed veggies and can of cream of mushroom soup. Mix and cook until all is warmed through.
  4. Place equal amounts of meat mixture into 4 or 5 ramekins. Top with equal amounts of mashed potatoes.
  5. Sprinkle with cheese. Put ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve!
Notes

You can add whatever kind of “cream of” soup that you’d like to these, but the mushroom version tastes wonderful. I think cream of celery would also make a good choice.
Depending on the size of your ramekins, you may need 5 of them.
And don’t feel obligated to use instant mashed potatoes. It’s a shortcut on busy nights for me, but when I have the time homemade tastes the best hands down!

 


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Affordable Mickey Mouse Party

June 20, 2013 by 30 Comments

My youngest turned 2 not too long ago and we decided on a Mickey theme for her party. It took me some time to figure out what theme to go with because she’s not at the age where she drools over certain characters and has a fit because she wants the latest and greatest of a certain toy collection. I’m thankful for that, but it created some difficulty when deciding on a party theme.

Then it hit me one morning…

She brought me the remote and said “turn on Mickey Mouse Howhouse” (That’s what she calls it). She does this almost every morning. How could I have not thought of this before? That’s all it took and I began to run with the theme idea. It’s the most fun I’ve  had planning a party in a while.

Sure, she may not remember any of it, but I’ll have pictures to remind her. 😉 I put the entire thing together on a budget. I’m almost always on a budget so most store-bought party items aren’t really an option. Plus, isn’t it always better to have one-of-a-kind things? I think so anyways.

I’ll share my ideas and give you a general idea of what I did. If there are more questions, I may end up doing separate posts for those items. Here we go!

These super simple tissue pom poms cost me a whopping $3! I bought each color separately at different stores in packs of 8 or 10 sheets. The 10-sheet packages make better poms poms, but they are harder to find. For a buck, you can create a nice hanging decoration for above your table!

This could be the decor that I was most proud of. I found much inspiration for ideas on Pinterest and ended up going with this design. I bought the straw wreath at Goodwill and the red ribbon at Walmart for around $1. The black is actually an old t-shirt that I cut up and wrapped around. The buttons were $1.

The ears are circles that I cut out of a cardboard box and covered with more t-shirt. I then pinned them to the wreath.

And of course the little signs are just printed up and taped to scrapbook paper to spiff it all up!

Scrapbook paper and fancy Disney font make a cute little sign as guests exit.

A cardboard box I had on-hand made a great goodie bag container. I just printed up a cute note and attached some Mickeys that I cut out of construction paper!

The flags are simply pieces of cut out scrapbook paper. I punched holes in each of them to run some ribbon through and hung them on top of a table cloth. The big 2 you see is (believe it or not) a 2 that I cut out of cardboard and then glued CUPCAKE WRAPPERS to! Hung with a cute little ribbon over the Mickey treats and it made for a cute party backdrop.

With scrapbook paper, I cut out little Mickey heads and punched holes in them to make Mickey Garland! I hung this all over the house including the chandelier. It doesn’t get any easier (or cheaper!) than that!

No party would be complete without snacks! If you know a lot about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, than you’ve probably seen them fishing for Gooey Fish. Swedish Fish make great substitutes for those. Using scrapbook paper, I was able to create cute little name signs for all the food.

As a side note- if you haven’t heard of Gooey Fish from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, don’t feel bad. Apparently I know WAY too much about the show! lol

Pigs in a blanket make the perfect Hot Diggity Dogs and snack for hungry kiddos at your Mickey party! Once again, this is a cheap snack that everyone will loves. Especially kids!

I threw some Bugles in a bowl and called them Oh Toodles! Bugles.

Getting a little more creative with the names of the foods, these are Meeska Mouska Marshmallow Treats. AKA Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats. Tasty!

The name of this snack wasn’t as creative, but the popcorn was DE-lish! Birthday Cake popcorn made with actual cake mix. It’s divine and costs pennies to make!

I had only just learned of the PB&J Sushi when I was gathering my menu for this party. I just had to include these. They were a HUGE hit. I found the recipe here. They were so easy, but seemed like they took a lot of work. I love those type of snacks!

These “Minnie” Pizzas were also a big hit. I started making each of them with a big pepperoni and 2 small ones on the top, but it became a little tedious and my time was running thin. I’m glad I opted out of making them all that way. They weren’t around long enough to admire!

I had these super cool milk jugs from a local dairy to put chocolate milk in. We called it Clarabelle’s Moooooooo Milk!

Whowouldathunk (yes, this is totally a word y’all) that grapes could make such a pretty presentation? Skewers did the trick to make these just right for individual servings. Must I say it? They were a hit!

The cupcakes were Cookies ‘N Cream Cupcakes and they were really tasty. Different size Oreos made for cute little Mickey heads as toppers. I hid a Oreo and a dollop of marshmallow cream inside each cupcake, too!

I printed off the little sign and attached it to one of my construction paper Mickey heads. The cupcake holder was $1 at Michael’s. Love that store.

Pluto’s Pineapple Punch was nothing more than Ginger Ale and Pineapple Juice and ice. So easy and tasty at the same time.

Mickey party success! What do you think?

Are you planning a Mickey party soon? I’d love to hear your ideas or suggestions!


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Cilantro Salsa Burgers

June 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

It’s summer time and there’s no stopping the men and their grills. Am I right? It’s a right of passage. And can we really complain? The chance to sit back and relax while watching someone else do all the cooking for once? I think I’ll take that deal.

During the summer we try to grill at least once a week. It’s nice for the whole family to get outside and enjoy summer nights playing together while daddy gets dinner ready. Memories are being made. Of course, grilling goes hand in hand with a very simple (yet taken seriously) dish, burgers. The oh-so-meaty, versatile, and flavorful burger. My husband would consider himself a connoisseur of burgers. And he has a right to. His most favorite food of all time and he’s eaten his way in burgers across the country.

One of the ingredients in most burger recipes is the binder, an egg. Have you ever used mayonnaise instead? It’s very tasty! A simple ingredient that can take your burger from boring to bam.

Hellmann’s is celebrating their 100th anniversary! Can you believe that they have been around that long? You know that a product is good when it’s been around for that many years and people still enjoy it today. As part of Hellman’s 100th celebration, they are helping to provide 1 MILLION meals to Feeding America to fight against hunger nationwide. They are also teaming up with celebrity chef Mario Batali (I’m a fan!) to showcase classic Hellmann’s recipes with a modern twist.

In fact, they have a contest going right now to give YOU a chance to win a trip to New York City with a seat at the World’s Longest Picnic Table celebrating Hellmann’s 100th anniversary. You simply have to make Mario’s twist on Hellmann’s classic recipes your own. The Create A Recipe With Mario facebook app has more details about the contest. These are simple and classic recipes, it would be a cinch to enter!

I was stoked to give it a try so I created these Cilantro Salsa Burgers.

Theses are the ingredients. I have to admit that I’ve never considered putting salsa on my burger, but I love trying new things so I was all for it. The cilantro and lime really bring a new and spin on your every day burger. This is a refreshing burger to say the least!

Getting your hands dirty is the best part! Or the worst, depending on who you are. I consider this fun and blissful. 🙂

Mario used ground chuck for his burger, but I used ground turkey to make them a tad bit more healthy.

Viola! Easy peazy lemon sqeezey. My husband gave his burger stamp of approval so you can be sure they are good. I hope that you’ll give these a try. And I also hope that you’ll enter Hellmann’s 100th Anniversary Contest to win the trip to New York City by creating your own twist.

Cilantro Salsa Burgers
Recipe Type: Burger, Main Dish
Cuisine: Grilling, Meat, American
Author: Pennywise Cook
A simple yet tasty burger recipe made with salsa, corn, and cilantro!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Ground Chuck
  • 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
  • 1/2 Onion, Peeled and Grated (makes for good juice)
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/4 c Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1/4 c Cilantro, Chopped fine
  • 2/3 c Whole Kernel Corn
  • Zest of 1 Lime
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1 c Salsa (for topping burgers)
  • 8 Hamburger Buns
  • Sliced Cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat a skillet or grill to medium high heat.
  2. Combine all ingredients except for the salsa. Shape into patties.
  3. Grill to desired temperature.
  4. Top with 2 tbsp salsa each and serve!
Notes

For the corn, you can use canned if you like. Just make sure to drain it well. You could also use frozen, just be sure to thaw it. And of course, fresh will work too!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hellmann’s and Yummly. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.


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Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

June 3, 2013 by 2 Comments

It’s only the first week out of school and I’m finding my snack stash to be a little on the low side. Sure I’ve bought the same as usual like I’ve always done throughout the year, but then it dawned on me….she’s home now.

When Addie would have been learning to spell small words, she is now asking for a Pop-Tart. When she would have been learning to add simple addition problems, she is now asking for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And when Addie would have been out burning off energy on the playground, she is now asking for a piece of candy or popsicle. It’s a never-ending viscous cycle.

She comes to me and asks for something to eat.

I say no.

She comes back 3 minutes later.

I say no.

And the process continues. Am I the only one experiencing this? I feel bad sometimes, like I’m depriving her of her basic needs! But I have to remind myself that she just ate lunch 15 minutes ago and that her main reason for snacking is boredom. I, myself, have that same issue so I can relate. But do as I say, not as I do!

So as I’m telling you all of this, I’m realizing that it’s not exactly a great way to relate my life to these super tasty treats. But I digress and will now tell you about this awesome new discovery that I made!

So I told you earlier this week that I put together a super cool Mickey Mouse party for my now 2 year old. I had so much fun planning this party, it’s ridiculous. This idea came to me when I was figuring out the color scheme.

I wanted RED Rice Krispie Treats. I was thinking what can make things red? Food coloring? Yes, but it’s weird sometimes when things are an unexpected color, but don’t taste any different. (Anybody remember the green ketchup years ago?) Kool-Aid? Maybe. J-ELLO! That’s it!

The rest is history y’all. I whipped up a batch of the original Rice Krispie Treats, but added a box of sugar-free Strawberry J-ELLO to the melted marshmallows before adding them to the Rice Krispies! They turned out delish. They remind me of the Crunch Berries in Cap ‘N Crunch cereal!

You should have seen me when I realized the possibilities. You can make them any flavor that you’d like! Simply add the box of J-ELLO to your melted marshmallows before mixing them with the Rice Krispies. Done deal.

And for the record, I was a teensy bit saddened that they didn’t end up red. I should’ve known that red and white make pink, DUH. Either way, I was very happy with the way they turned out.

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Recipe Type: Snack, Dessert
Author: Pennywise Cook
This simple trick can get you several different tasty flavors of marshmallow treats!
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp Butter
  • 4 Cups Mini Marshmallows
  • 6 Cups Krispy Rice Cereal
  • 1 Pkg Sugar-Free Strawberry J-ELLO Mix (or any flavor you like)
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and until melted.
  2. Add package of J-ELLO and mix until disolved. Remove from heat.
  3. Add the Rice Krispies and stir until well coated.
  4. Place into a well-greased jellyroll pan or casserole dish and let set.
  5. Cut into squares and enjoy!

 


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Summer is a Piece of Cake!

May 28, 2013 by 1 Comment

Welp, Memorial Day has come and gone which means WELCOME SUMMER! Wahoo! I got to sleep in this morning until about, oh, 7:15. That’s good right? The kids slept in, but me? No. I’m still stuck in let’s get going, get your shoes on, eat your breakfast mode. I’m hoping that nonsense will wear off soon. I’ve got to at least work up to sleeping to 8:00, don’t ya think?

My youngest turned 2 this weekend! It’s hard to believe that she is already 2. Her favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so naturally that became the theme of her party. I had a TON of fun putting it together. Don’t worry, I have a post all about it coming up.

I wanted to share with you my Cookies N Cream Cupcakes. While I didn’t put together a step by step with these, they were really simple. I used Devil’s Food Cake Mix for the cupcakes. Only, I added a sweet surprise. Before baking, I placed a chocolate sandwich cookie in the bottom of each liner and then a dollop of marshmallow cream on top. THEN I plopped cake batter in. So they baked up with a cookie and filling inside!

For the frosting, I made a simple buttercream (no shortening in this one) and added about 1/2 cup of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies to the mix. Then piped it on and voila! These were so incredibly tasty. The cookie inside became soft after a while which I thought I wouldn’t like, but I found them to be even tastier that way.

 

Of course, I had to Mickeytize them for the party. Here’s a sneak peek of the Mickey fun! More on that later…

I think summer is one of the best times to create cool cakes. Not just because most of us have a little more time on our hands, but because the kids can help out! That is, if they can tear themselves away from the TV and video games…

Betty Crocker has got some really cute ideas for summer cakes. And you know that Betty Crocker likes to make things easy for us moms. There are some really cute cake ideas on the Betty Crocker website. I LOVE the Watermelon Cake. I think I’ll be trying that one out this summer. Considering that most of my family doesn’t like really watermelon, maybe they’d like it in cake form? I also find the butterfly cake to be adorable. It looks a little complicated, but Betty Crocker even provides a template for making it. How helpful!

Have you seen the cupcakes made in ice cream cones yet? It’s a popular pin on Pinterest right now. Check out the infographic that Betty Crocker put together about how to easily put those cuties together.

 

Have you made the ice cream cone cupcakes before? I haven’t yet braved them so I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I made these In The Garden Cupcakes last year. They were a blast to make. You can find out how to make them here.

I’m full of inspiration for making cakes this summer now! You can find more summer cake inspiration from Betty Crocker!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.


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Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

May 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Today is my daughter’s last day of school. I can already hear the words “I’m booooooored mom”. You’d think that we live in a box without any toys, coloring books, or that all addicting boob tube contraption they call a TV. My goal is to do whatever I possibly can to try and keep those words from seaping out of my kiddo’s mouth.

So we’ll plan playdates, trips to the splash pad, fun at the Y, and anything and everything else that I can come up with to combat bordem.

Dinner sometimes plays second fiddle in the summer around here. The sun is out later and we’re outside enjoying our days which means either mom has to miss out on the fun to cook or mom has to get creative. So creative I’ll get! This recipe is one that I put together in a pinch and is super simple to make.

Who doesn’t like making dinner in the crockpot? Most of the ingredients in this recipe are from cans which also makes for easy prep. This reminds me of a 7 can soup with a little twist. One ingredient that I’ve always kinda been leary of, is canned chicken. I don’t use it that often because, well, it’s called canned chicken. It smells a lot like tuna to me in the can which most of the time turns me off. But every now and then I’ll place it in a recipe that makes the chicken transform with the other flavors. And sometimes it actually tastes great. Hey, don’t knock it ’til ya tried it! If you’re not too keen on the canned chicken idea, use leftover rotisserie chicken or something along those lines if you’d like.

I love the crunch of the crispy tortilla strips on top at the very end. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find some colorful ones like I did!

 It’s your turn: Do your kids get bored during the summer? Or do they enjoy the freedom?

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
 
Recipe Type: Soup, Main Dish, Crockpot
Author: Pennywise Cook

A few cans and seasonings and you’re on your way to a tasty Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Ingredients
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 (14 oz) can vegetable broth- could also use chicken
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 (12.5 oz) can chunk chicken breast, drained
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup
  • 1 (10 oz) can rotel
  • 1 rotel can of water
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 c. tortilla strips for topping
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
 
Notes

– The first time I made this, I sauted my onion and garlic before placing it in the crockpot. You can do this first if you are going to be cooking your soup for less time. If not, they should soften up enough while cooking.
– If you would rather, you can use chicken broth in place of the vegetable broth
– If you have leftover chicken, you can use that in place of the canned chicken
– Finally, if you prefer, you can use more broth in place of the water in the rotel can. I found it tastes just as good with the water.

 


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