Recipe
Kids in the Kitchen: Fruit Cars
Apple Cars
The kids loved these fruit treats. It was a fun snack and craft to do at the girls birthday party too. At their party we set out a bowl of apples, oranges, grapefruits, and grapes so the kids could put together their own cars. The cars we’re a lot of fun and you could even drive them (so cute with their wobbly wheels).
Orange Car
Cute little fruit cars made by the kids. All it takes is some fruit and toothpicks (broken in half for the wheels). If you have smaller kids you may want to help them put them together and take out the toothpicks for them before they eat their fruit car.
Recipe: Fresh Blueberry Muffins
Fresh Blueberries
A couple weeks ago the girls and I went over to a friends house to pick blueberries. I was really impressed with how dedicated the girls were to picking the blueberries with me. They had a blast picking the blueberries, washing them and of course helping us eat them. The kids loved eating the fresh blueberries and helped me make homemade blueberry muffins, blueberry smoothies, and more goodies with the fresh blueberries.
When we picked the blueberries we used a beach bucket to store them in while we are picking because it had a handle. When we got home we rinsed the blueberries, and laid them out on racks to dry out (see picture below) before bagging and putting them in the freezer.
Fresh blueberries drying out after being rinsed
You don’t want to store fresh blueberries in an tight container all today, especially if you are leaving it on the kitchen counter for awhile because they will go bad. The blueberries, much like some people, need a little bit a space between them and the next one to breath.
Homemade Blueberries Muffins (made with the fresh blueberries we picked together)
I am so thankful for a sweet friend who let us come over and pick blueberries. The blueberries have been a huge hit in our house and it was great having a chance to pick and catch up at the same time. Blueberries are very healthy for you and this is the time of year to get stock up on some either picking them yourselves or getting them on sale at the store.
Fresh Blueberry Muffin Recipe:
- 1 cup fresh Milk
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 1 Egg
- 2 cups Flour
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Fresh Blueberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 muffin cup pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together and create a well in the center. Put milk, oil and egg in bowl and blend well. Add the moist items to the flour mixture and stir until moistened. Fold in the fresh blueberries and spoon into muffin cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven butter the tops of the muffins and sprinkle with sugar in the raw crystals.
Kids in the Kitchen: Easy Parmesan Chicken
The girls have started making dinner for the family once a week. It has been fun coming up with easy and fun recipes for them to put together. My husband actually came up with this idea after the girls suggested they make chicken nuggets for dinner one night. This is a super easy recipe to put together and the only thing you really need to help the kids with is taking the hot pan out of the oven. It is really neat to see them get excited about cooking dinner!
Easy Parmesan Chicken:
- 20 to 25 Chicken Nuggets
- 8 slices Provolone Cheese
- Small can or bottle Pasta Marinara Sauce
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 pyrex dish. Line the bottom of the pyrex with one layer of chicken nuggets. Place the slices of cheese over the chicken nuggets. Spread the pasta sauce over the cheese slices and bake uncovered in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Make A Head Recipe: Egg Breakfast Cups
The only day Jake and the girls headed out early to work in the yard, when I asked what they wanted the answer I got was eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. Well, this recipe which I discovered on The Little Birdie Blog included all of these ingredients. I did have eggs but no bacon or shredded hash browns but I did have ham and tator tots. I altered her recipe slightly and it was a huge hit with the family. Karlie told me “Mom you always make the best food!” I made the several extra to test and see if they would be good to reheat out of the freezer and they turned out well. These would be a great recipe to “make ahead” of schedule to pull out after your guests have arrived. I froze some of our Egg Breakfast Cups in a ziploc baggie, each cup was individually wrapped in saran wrap. All you had to do when you were ready to eat it was pull it out of the freezer and bake for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Egg Breakfast Cups:
- 1 – 24 oz. bag of shredded Hash Browns or Tator Tots cut up
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup diced Ham (or bacon)
- Eggs
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Take your bag of hash browns or tator tots ( cut up if tator tots) and mix in the salt, pepper, oil and 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
- Grease jumbo muffin tin and divide the hash browns amongst the cups in your muffin tin.
- Bake at 425 for 15 to 18 minutes or until toasty
- Once they’re finished, take them out and lower the temp of the oven to 350 degrees.
- Crack an egg into each of the cups and break the eggs a little bit.
- Top with ham (or bacon) and a sprinkle of extra cheese
- Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes (or until the eggs are as firm as you like them).
- Slide a knife along the edges to remove from pan when cooled.
Mix together the cut up tator tots, salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup cheese
Baked hash browns, salt, pepper, and cheese
Add the egg on the top of the baked hash brown.
Break the yokes on the eggs
Add the sliced ham on top of the egg & cheese cup
Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.
Recipe Egg breakfast cup
Recipe: Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Occasionally I come up with a random meal to use up leftovers and it becomes a family hit. I had some biscuits that were ready to be used, shredded cheese, baked chicken and a handful of vegetables so the end results was Mini Chicken Pot Pies. It is great when I am able to use up all the leftovers and have the new meal turn out to be a hit!
Mini Chicken Pot Pies:
- 1 can Biscuits
- 2 cups Chicken (cooked & diced)
- 2 cups or 1 can mixed Vegetables
- 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan. Remove the biscuits from the can and press into a regular size muffin pan. Mix the chicken, vegetables, and cream of chicken together. Scoop (I used an ice cream scoop) the chicken mixture into the biscuit cups. Pull the sides of the biscuit over the top of the chicken mixture and twist to seal prior to cooking. Sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with the shredded Cheddar Cheese and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the biscuit is cooked and the cheese is beginning to darken.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the muffin tin. Press the biscuits into a muffin tin.
Mix together chicken, mixed vegetables, and cream of chicken
Use an ice cream scoop to put the chicken mixture into the biscuits
Pull the sides of the biscuit over the top of the chicken mixture and twist to seal prior to cooking. Sprinkle with cheese and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese begins to darken.
Mini Chicken Pot Pies ready to be popped out of the muffin tin and eaten.
Recipe: Easy Mini Pizzas
Easy mini pizzas
When you need a quick lunch or dinner for the family this is an easy one. I used English Muffins for the crust, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and toppings (we used bacon crumbs, pepperoni, and black olives for this lunch). Baked them in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melted and viola….mini pizzas. These are easy enough for the kids to make themselves now too! It isn’t a meal we make a lot in our house but in a quick pinch it is easy and one everyone enjoys.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 4 – 10, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – $1.69 lb
Fairgrounds Hotdogs (12 oz) – $0.79
Chicken Drums or Thighs – $0.99 lb
Hickory Springs Bacon (12 oz) – $1.99
Ground Beef – $1.99
Grilling Steaks, Family Pack, T Bone, Rib Eye, and New York Strip – $6.99 lb
Boneless Butt Roast – $1.69
Assorted Pork Chops – $1.69 lb
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more. Here are a few of the specials they have going on with the Pick 5 for $19.99 this week (each item approximately $3.99):
Fridge and Freezer
Eggs (1 dozen) – $0.99
World’s Fair Ice Cream (56 oz) – $1.99
Mantia’s Pizza (20 – 21 oz) – $1.99
Coburn Farms Yogurt (6 oz) – $0.50
Frozen Buttermilk Pancakes (10 count) – $1.00
Bagged Ice (10 pounds) – $1.99
Sunny Delight (48 oz) – $1.00
Produce
Green Cabbage – $0.25 lb
Cucumbers – $0.29 each
Green Peppers – $0.39 each
Yellow Onions (3 pounds) – $0.99
Medium Vine Ripened Tomatoes – $0.69 lb
Lettuce $0.79 each
Potatoes (8 lbs) – $2.29
Household
Solo Red Cups (20 count) – $1.29
Wrightware Foam Plates (40 count) – $1.39
Styrofoam Coolers – $2.49
Grocery
Save A Lot Soft Drinks (12 packs) – $1.99
O’Days Mac & Cheese – $0.39
Kurtz Yellow Mustard (14 oz) – $0.69
Kurtz Ketchup (24 oz) – $0.99
McDaniel’s Classic Coffee Roast (33 oz) – $6.99
Kurtz Whole Dill or Hamburger Slices (32 oz) – $1.99
Portmann’s Salad Dressing (16 oz) – $1.69
Westcott Vegetable Oil (48 oz) – $2.99
Little Hugs Variety Juice Pack (160 oz) – $2.99
Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce (26.5 oz) – $0.99
Wylwood Canned Vegetables (14 – 15 oz) – $0.59
Granny Ella’s Vanilla Wafers (11 oz) – $1.79
Albany Bakery Sandwich Cookies – $1.99
Enhance Coffee Creamer (16 oz) – $2.29
Golden Flake Potato Chips (5 oz) – $1.50
Shelby Grove Sliced Peaches (29 oz) – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries (11 oz) – $0.99
Ginger Evan Granulated Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Duke’s Mayonnaise (32 oz) – $2.99
Crystal Drinking Water (24 pack) – $1.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Ring
My cousin makes an awesome Buffalo Chicken dip that our entire family loves so when I saw this recipe on Jayesel it looked similar but wrapped in crescent rolls and I had to try it! I tweaked the recipe a little bit, added shredded cheese, and it turned out really well. The first time I made it I took it to a get together and it was a huge hit. It is a delicious recipe that we have added to our collection. This is a great meal or can be used as an appetizer.
Buffalo Chicken Ring
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 packet Ranch Powder Mix
- 2 tablespoon Buffalo Hot Sauce
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
- 2 packages Crescent Rolls
- 1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet and spread the unrolled crescent rolls out leaving a small circle in the middle. Mix chicken and buffalo sauce to taste. In separate bowl, mix softened cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and ranch packet together. Mix all ingredients together. Scoop the mixture by the spoonful onto the crescent rolls. Fold the crescent rolls over the mixture to create a ring shape. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the ring. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crescent rolls are brown. You can serve with buffalo hot sauce and ranch dressing.
Recipe: White Chicken Enchiladas
I found this recipe at Joyful Momma’s Kitchen and it was a big hit with our family. I got double thumbs up from everyone on this delicious dinner! I added more cheese and toasted it longer (we like it extra crunchy on top) as well as used salsa instead of green chillies in the recipe but otherwise it is pretty much the same. The joke around our house is there is no such thing as “too much cheese” sprinkled on top.- 10 Soft Taco Shells
- 2 cups cooked, shredded Chicken Breasts
- 2 cups shredded Mexican Cheese
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 4 oz Salsa
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don’t want curdled sour cream.5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.
Chicken & Cheese stuffed enchiladas
Creamy sauce poured over the chicken enchiladas
Ready to be baked
All done and ready to be eaten….yum!
First Day of Summer Vacation Strawberry – Banana Breakfast
Brina and Karlie’s First Day of Summer Breakfast
In celebration of the girls first day of Summer Vacation I made them a special breakfast with two of their favorite fruits – Stawberries and Bananas! They loved it! It was nice to have a slower paced breakfast because we didn’t have to rush off to school.
- Strawberry-Banana French Toast (smile)
- Strawberry (nose)
- Banana (eyes)
- Strawberry Yogurt
- Strawberry – Banana Smoothie
I don’t get to do this every morning for the kids but every once in awhile it’s nice to have a more relaxing day as well as an extra “smile” to start the day off on a good note!
