Special Additions

Top 10 Pinterest Cinco De Mayo Recipes

Cinco De Mayo used to mean Corona’s all around when I was in my twenties!! I remember one year it was actually the day I moved into the very first home I had ever bought. That day/night consisted of A LOT of corona’s! Well I’m not going to lie and say that Cinco De Mayo usually consists of a few flavorful margarita’s for this Momma on a normal basis since those days of my twenties, before I found love in the kitchen that is. Then when I found that love, I just had those margarita’s while making a new dish for me and my husband after our daughter would go to bed. It made for a nice night. An excuse to make something different. I love Mexican, my husband loves Mexican……it worked. However, this is my second pregnancy and yes the second Cindo De Mayo that I had to cut out the good ol’ Margarita’s! Boooooooooooo!!! Yes let’s have a moment of silence for that Margarita I can’t have yet again this year. :( and it’s on a Saturday of all days!! Oh well, 8 more weeks to go and I can have as many Margarita’s as I’d like! However I’m still going to make a Mexican dish! Yes o’ yes I am!! I’m also going to have a VIRGIN Margarita :)

So let’s talk about some great Mexican dishes!! Let’s start with the one I’ll be making for my family……well I can’t decide between two. One I’ve already made in the past, and a new one I’ve never made but am dying to try. Here is the one I made last year! It was awesome and worth making again, when I was looking at recipes I totally forgot about this one!!

Source: mommasmeals.org via Tammi on Pinterest

Then I found this one that I think sounds super easy and super yummy, I order these while eating out sometimes!! Something super cute about Taquito’s, I don’t even know the Mexican lingo and what means what all I know is that they are cute and they look good!! Longhorn’s and Ruby Tuesday’s have some pretty spicy ones!!

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Tammi on Pinterest

Here is the virgin Margarita’s I’m going to try and make…….nothing like sipping on this while sitting on the back deck!! Maybe if my hubby is good I’ll slip some tequila in his!! :)

Source: tasteofhome.com via Tammi on Pinterest

I’ve also made this dish before too!! I love Skinnytaste and I love this dish!! Can’t go wrong with it and it’s “healthified” in my book!

Source: keyingredient.com via Tammi on Pinterest

Serve it with a nice frosty beverage! Say maybe a Mexican Sunrise! I’ve never had one before but boy they look good!!

Source: natlizmac.wordpress.com via Tammi on Pinterest

Or if your in the mood for some beef in your dish…..here is one I found that looks delish!!

Source: huffingtonpost.com via Tammi on Pinterest

There is always a casserole too!! Can’t go wrong with something simple but yummy!

Source: quick-dish.tablespoon.com via Tammi on Pinterest

Speaking of simple, how about my crock dish! Make the filling and get 3 dishes out of it!!!!! Make it on Friday and have Cinco De Mayo all weekend long at your house!!!

Source: mommasmeals.org via Tammi on Pinterest

I think I’m going to try this side dish with what I’m making this weekend. It looks like it’s full of veggies, spice and everything nice!!

Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com via Tammi on Pinterest

I almost forgot!! The Chicken Con queso I made one week for #SundaySupper! You can’t go wrong with this dish, if your looking for more of a creamy dish, this one is for you.

Source: mommasmeals.org via Tammi on Pinterest

Then good ol’ McCormick came up with this simple dish you could throw together in literally minutes!! Do it!!

Source: mccormick.com via Tammi on Pinterest

Then I think you should all end your evening with a nice refreshing beverage like this one. Make it dessert in a cup!

Shower & Party Ideas

Have you ever hosted a baby shower, bridal shower or any themed party? I’ve never hosted an actual shower before, only small gatherings with  my friends for small holidays like St. Patrick’s Day. I’d like to host a pretty big BBQ this summer for the birth of my son. We bought a new house this winter and we have many friends having either their first or second child! We have a beautiful new deck to break in so I’m looking forward to my first bash that consists of this Momma NOT being pregnant!

In the mean time I thought I’d share some party tips and ideas with you. I’ve gotten these ideas over the years from others or my own experiences. Let me share with you a great idea I had when I got when I got engaged.  I knew I wanted a Co-Ed bridal shower, I guess you could call it a Jack N Jill however I wanted to register for gifts. We didn’t have much as a couple so I knew we needed to register however the men in my life are so special to me. I have uncles, cousins and male friends that I’m very close to, I wanted to celebrate with them. So we changed it up. We had a Co-Ed Bridal Shower. I know your rolling your eyes because what man wants to sit through a couple opening a bunch of gifts. Well I have an easy solution for that. Alcohol. Period. My family through me the best Shower ever. It involved everyone and anyone that we were close to, we had a full stocked bar, a DJ for dancing, dinner that was mostly catered and when we opened gifts, our grandparents pulled their chairs closer and the men went to the bar. Perfect in my eyes. So perfect that my best friend even brought me a pair of slippers so when my feet were sore from dancing in heals…………I had something comfy for my feet. Yes I did end up leaving my shoes their. :) One too many drinks I think.

Another special touch my family made were Memory boards. My family made one of me and my husbands family made one of him and it consisted of pictures of us when we were babies, when we were younger, when we first met, they even included our three fur babies that we gave a home over the years of being together. It was a such a personal touch, I lost my dad when I was 22 so seeing pictures of me and my dad just made my night, it also made for a great conversation piece and it brought many laughs and giggles to a lot of people that night. Oh and another bonus of this Co-Ed Shower I speak of…………….plenty of men to pack up the cars with gifts!!! (Oh gosh yes that’s me the blondie with the pigtails!)

Shower Tips2

ShowersI had a rehearsal dinner two nights before my wedding. That’s the night where you get to thank your bridal party for all of their hard work of putting together these fabulous parties throughout your engagement. You buy nice gifts and give your thanks in any and every mushy way possible. Well yet again my family outdid themselves. Before the rehearsal dinner they had asked family members from both sides of our families to share a happy or funny memory of me or my husband. Now it’s time to get your craft on and buy a frame where you can write all around a picture that’s centered in the middle. They put a picture of my husband and I from our Shower in the center, added some cute scrapbooking touches and put in quotes the memories that our family had shared. I loved this gift. I have it hanging in my new master bedroom. :) It’s a great reminder, like how I just read every single one again when I had to go and take a picture to share with you!!

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Picture courtesy of Courtney at NeighborFood

Well let’s move onto babies……….who doesn’t love a good baby shower, well I do because I love all the cute things, plus now that I’m a mother it’s a beautiful thing to see your friends or family members glow as their worlds become complete with all of these new items for baby. I had a few baby showers for my daughter, it was easier for my mom to throw one for my side and his mom to throw one for his side. Both were beautiful days. We really couldn’t have asked for more on our special day. My godmother started a tradition with me when I became pregnant she told the family she wanted to contribute something special to her nieces/nephews for their first bundle of joys. The rocking chair. I was so thrilled with that idea, I didn’t even pick it out. My aunt has fabulous taste and I knew I would love it no matter what, she asked me the colors of my daughters nursery and she went with that. If it’s one thing I recommend asking the mother-to-be it’s, what colors are the nursery, or a theme you may be planning, it gives whoever is planning the shower a feel for what your tastes are, maybe it can give some great idea’s besides just the standard pink or blue. If your looking to buy a large gift or go in on a large gift with someone, use the rocker as the place for the Momma-to-be to sit and open her gifts. Buy a cozy blanket, stuffed animal for baby, a card and a bow and it makes a great presentation. Also if it’s one of those rockers that has the glider attachment for the feet…….bonus because it’s hard being 8 months prego bending over to unwrap gifts, prop them right up on the glider!

Shower Tips4

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My mom and my mother-in-law took into consideration the colors my husband and I were planning for the nursery and they both know that I love love love butterflies so the fact that my mother-in-law incorporated that into my shower meant a lot to me. I’m not a fan of the games at baby showers, I’ll take part if I feel like it but for the most part I enjoy just sitting their with other adults and getting away from my own crazy life for a few hours. However, if you do have games, have a few prizes for your guests. It gives them a reason to partake, it makes it fun, and it’s a nice gesture. Gift Cards, Bath & Body products or Candy are great idea’s!

Shower Tips6

How about a basket with a book collection for new baby. I thought this was such an awesome idea. Madison’s library was started before she was even born. I got a pretty basket out of it and she got a boatload of books! Not only that but each one was personalized from all the guests which I thought was a sweet gesture. I also had a plate signed by all of my guests that I displayed in Madison’s room for the first year of her life, then at her baptism party I used the plate to display cupcakes. :)

Shower Tips

At my daughters first birthday I had these centerpieces made by my local florist. Her birthday is in October and I love the Fall so I thought it was the cutest idea for the kids that were coming. They could grab candy and go! I would try making these myself next time around!!

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I also scattered pictures around the room of my daughters first year, from baby to one! It made for  great entertainment because who doesn’t like to look at pictures!

Madison Turns One 029

Another idea I saw at a friends baby shower and ended up making for my cousin’s baby shower this past weekend, were pieces of card stock with questions on them to answer about the baby to be. It’s something that any mother or father can treasure forever from each guest at their baby shower. Or how about centerpieces for each table that Mom-to-be can actually take home and use!! These fabulous flower arrangements were made into onesies! And of course the favors. A little something the guests can take home to remember your special day! Since my cousin was having a baby girl we decided that the guests should be able to take home a little something that is “Girly”. A bottle of nail polish in a bag with candy in it! OK well this picture shoes the favor once I got home and no I did NOT eat the candy, my 2.5 year old ate plenty for both of us!!! :) We made these cute favors that were a hit!

Joyce's Shower

I know it sounds crazy to serve alcohol at a baby shower however any party I hold I always offer it because why not???!!! I like to enjoy a glass of wine, punch or even a beer on a hot day when given the chance so why not let your guests. You don’t have to offer everything, I usually always offer wine and beer and maybe have a specialty drink like a punch or Sangria. So yes at my baby shower I said thumbs up to the alcohol! :)

Shower Tips5

Now let’s talk food………..good food is the key to any party. I’m a nut and I love a theme. For St. Patty’s Day I had to go green green green! For Easter I planned springy foods, for a birthday party or shower, picky foods are great if your not serving an actual meal. Remember last #SundaySupper, our theme was April showers…..food for all Showers!! So here is a list of what the crew cooked up. I made an Easy Baked Ziti that can made for any occasion. It’s simple and quick. I made it for all the new Momma’s in my life!! :)

Starters, Appetizers & Snacks
Pesto Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories
Honey Pecan Baked Brie from Supper for a Steal
Pinenut stuffed Dates from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Glazed Pecans from Mama’s Blissful Bites
Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail from A Stack of Dishes
Mini Curry Chicken Salad Phyllo Cups from The Weekend Gourmet
Mushroom and Feta Bites from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Antipasti Bites from Blueberries And Blessings
Spinach Dip in a Pumpernickel Bowl from The Foodie Patootie
Parmesan and Mushroom Focaccia from Basic N Delicious
Soups, Salads & Sandwiches
London Ritz’s Tea Sandwiches from My Cute Bride
Mini Shrimp & Egg Salad Sandwiches from The ROXX Box
Broccoli Bacon Salad from Country Girl In The Village
Chicken Salad on Endive from Magnolia Days
Creamy Asparagus Soup Shooters with Shrimp from Gourmet Drizzles
Alphabet Soup from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Main Dishes
Savory Cheesy Kale Tart with Chiles from Shockingly Delicious
Penne Ala Vodka from I Run For Wine
Easy Baked Ziti from Momma’s Meals
French Country Flat Pie from Webicurean
Crustless Spinach Quiche from Family Foodie
Cakes
Vanilla Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Strawberry Shortcake Push Pops from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Mini Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting from Damn Delicious
Coconut Rum Cake from The Foodie Army Wife
No Bake Lemon Cheesecakes Shots {Two Ways} from Cravings of a Lunatic
Japanese Wedding Cupcakes from NinjaBaking.com
Baby Blue Cake Pops from Neighborfood
Strawberry Buttermilk Scones from Vintage Kitchen
Cookies, Brownies & Dessert Bars
Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Pink Lemon Curd from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Chocolate Covered Mcaroons from Gotta Get Baked
Pastel Pizzelles from Growing Up Gabel
Chocolate-Balsamic Macaroons from Foxes Love Lemons
Raspberry Lemonade Thumbprint Cookies from In The Kitchen With KP
Baklava Crisps from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Healthy Chocolate Bars with Fruit, Nuts & Coconut from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Fudgy Carob Brownies from Pies and Plots
Pistachio Biscotti from Curious Cuisiniere
Sweet Treats
Shortbread Maple Cream Freezer Tart from A Beautiful Bite
Espresso Panna Cotta from Crazy Foodie Stunts
Bite-Size Pecan Tarts from Juanita’s Cocina
Brigadeiros from Food Lust People Love
Rosewater Raspberry Meringues from girlichef
Drink Recipes
Slushy Mango Mojito from The Urban Mrs.
Pretty in Pink Punch from Noshing With The Nolands
Pink Lemonade from Peanut Butter and Peppers

 

Easter Dishes

I have a great collection of Easter brunches, lunches and dinners to choose from! I went through and chose my favorites for you! Some day I’d love to have an Easter Brunch but for now an Easter Dinner is what works best for me and my family. I just love making brunch dishes! Well I should say I love to eat Brunch Dishes a little more than making them!

SundaySupper

Well it is another Sunday, and another Sunday passing that I couldn’t take part in #SundaySupper :( Totally bummed but I’ve been so sick all week that I just didn’t have it in me. However I wanted to include today’s theme because it’s close to Easter and these foodies have put together a great a table of Easter Dishes!!! Just for you!! The party is being hosted by none other than Carla over at Chocolate Moosey! Go check out her list of awesome Easter Dishes to make your table complete!

 

Easter
Brunch

Breakfast Pie’s - These were actually one of the first dishes this Momma ever made for Momma’s Meals!! It’s easy, it’s yummy and they can be made in no time!!

Hash Brown Quiche - I chose this one because it’s a crustless, which means to m 79b36f e it’s healthier, you use hashbrowns for the bottom of this quiche and you can even make it an even easier dish and use the brand Simply Potatoe’s, they are already grated for you! You can really add whatever additions to your quiche as you’d like!

Ham & Egg Breakfast Eggs - This is another quick thing to whip up that are nice for guests because they are served as individual servings, something about little individual servings that just makes me want to try them!

Pecan Crusted French Toast Sticks - There is always French Toast served at brunch! This is a fun way to make them different but yummy!! Anyone would want to dip into these.

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Baked Apple-Cinnamon French Toast - This is a great dish for a crowd, it’s easy to make and even easier to make ahead of time!

 

Monkey Bread Muffins - Here is another dish that is for individual servings!! Great side dish of bread and ewy gewy goodness!

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Easter
Luncheon’s&Dinners

Corn & Green Chili Chowder Start off your lunch with a nice soup. Leave it cooking in your crockpot while you make up the rest of your lunch menu!

Chicken Spring Salad - This is the perfect salad to get your friends and family in the Spring mood!! Leave out the chicken if you think it’ll be too filling before your main dish is served…..it’s still fantastic!

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin - I love serving pork because it’s an easy dish to make and I’ve never gotten a complaint! Here is a great one your guests are sure to rave about!

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin (9)

Momma’s Meat Pie - I have a French husband, this is a must at most holidays. Give it a shot, it gives a great dish for some people that may not like the main dish you are serving.

Crockpot Honey Mustard Ham & Beans - This is a great dish if you aren’t serving too many people, I know a crockpot can only fit a certain size ham but I’ve served a lot with a ham that big! Plus your beans are made and flavored, sit back and enjoy your company while this baby cooks!

Honey Mustard Ham & Beans (8)

 

Easter
Cocktails & Desserts

Momma’s Sangria - I have to toot my own horn at this creating, coming from a pregnant woman I can’t wait to dive into this one this summer!! Make a big batch and let your guests help themselves!

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Hypnotic Lemonade - Looking for something Springy? This is your drink! Refreshing and yummy!

No Bake Pie – You can get lots of compliments on this one, feel free to add a different fruit, this easy no bake pie will be a great hit!

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Upside Down Cake-Pineapple Style - Nothing says a Spring dessert like a pineapple! This is a favorite from my hubby! It’s easy and can be topped with your favorite sorbet or ice cream!

Hostess Cupcakes –  Impress your guests with your own hostess cupcakes! Top with springy colors to liven up your dinner table!

Hostess Cupcake7

Are you getting your Green on?

If you asked my Dad if I was Irish he’d say no, I’m French! If you asked my Mom she’d say yup, 100%!! Well I’m 50/50 and damn proud of it :) I never “celebrated” St.Patty’s Day. Yes in my 20′s I went out and drank green beer. I’ve had my share of Corned Beef and Cabbage, I never even knew I liked it until I was in my 20′s. Then my lil family was born and it’s when I took advantage of using every opportunity I could to make these little holidays special for them. I used the reason to cook themed dinners or snacks. I used the holiday to boost the mood around the house and make it just…….a different kind of day. Last year we had a little get together. Had a few friends over with their kiddo’s. Had some green wine/beer and made a few “Green” dishes. It was a good time. Now that we are in the house I thought, why not do it again! I’m planning a similar menu to last year with a few new things to put together. What are you doing to celebrate? Here are a few of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes that I’ve tried and can say are super yummy!!

Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup – I made this Vegetarian style as well by just taking out the Corned Beef. Vegan Irish Stew.

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Irish Soda Bread - Super simple and a great side to dip in the soup!! Who doesn’t love Bread with cheesy goodness melted on top? I’m going to make it an even easier way this year, the recipe calls for you to cut the dough, dip it into the egg and press with the cheese, this year I’m going to, brush the entire piece of dough with the egg, sprinkle the cheese on top, bake and cut the dough into pieces with a pizza cutter! I’ll let you know how it goes!

Irish Soda Bread2

A great appetizer are the Reuben Rolls. I didn’t know if I was going to like these last year and when I tried them, OMG I ate so many I couldn’t eat the soup afterwards! Oopsy! That and I love horseradish!

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For dessert last year I made Irish Creme Swirl Brownies, they were awesome! It was the first successful batch of brownies I had ever made! This year I’m making Chocolate Stout Cupcakes!! Mmmmm can’t wait!

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You can’t have St. Patty’s Day without some good beverages, I haven’t actually made these yet myself but here are some drinks that I found that I WOULD be making if I could drink them!! UGH, there is always next year! Irish Cocktails.

Superbowl Sunday Favorites

I remember the highest traffic day I had last year was for Super Bowl Sunday. Though I appreciate the audience I’m not banking on that this year. I’m writing this post to offer my readers the very best Game Day foods this Momma has to offer! These are my own picks, from my own experiences, snacks that I’ve made for my friends and got great feedback on.

Making appetizers is one of my favorite things to do. Nothing beats a little bite of yumminess. I serve them a lot at my get together’s because I love making a bunch of little dishes!! It gives me the chance to try new recipes because instead of making an actual dinner for our guests I get to make a few different picky dishes! I have what’s called an Appetizer Night a lot for my husband and myself or even when we have another couple over. This allows me to make them ahead of time, I always choose food that I can either prep ahead and finish quickly when people arrive or something I can actually make a head of time and reheat when people are hungry and ready to chow down!!

I’m making a bunch of munchy foods for Super Bowl Sunday myself, I hate football but I love entertaining and I love when people enjoy my food. As I type this, I am also planning my menu!! We are also having a Pampered Chef/Housewarming party the weekend after the Super Bowl and I think I’ll be doing a bunch of small Appetizers/Snacks for that party as well so this post is to my benefit too, nothing like putting all of my favs all in one place!! Oh and these are in no particular order either…….just my picks.

Party Fav #1

Good Ol’ Fashion Pizza Bites: These are super easy to make and you can make them with either crescent rolls or actual pizza dough, I’ve tried them both ways. You can really fill them with whatever toppings you like on your pizza. What I would do with this party pleaser is prepare them, roll them and get them on a baking sheet before your guests arrive so all you have to do it pop them in the oven for 10 or so minutes! Make a fun dipping sauce to go with them, put some spice in your sauce!!

Pizza Bites

Party Fav #2

Spinach Cups: I actually made these for the Super Bowl last year and they were a hit. The actual filling for them was to die for! I haven’t  made them since and now that I’m writing about it I want to try them again!

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Party Fav #3

Salsa Roll Ups: I made these last year too, I’ve also made them for a few other occasions too. Oh and they are made for Weight Watcher peeps too!! BIG hit. Super simple. Make ahead. End of story. If you want to make another version of this snack with a little meat to it, check out my St. Patty’s Day Party  from last year, same gist but it has some meat in it!! YUMMY!

Party Fav #4

Wings and Things: Who doesn’t want Wings on Game Day?????? I don’t even eat them and they are must have in this house……I would do anything for my hubby, he’s been working so hard lately making our new house a home that on Game Day I’m spoiling him rotten with either Drumsticks with Heat, Spicy Fried Wings or Baked Sweet Chili Wings, I haven’t decided on which one, but all three are worth mentioning here because he LOVED all of them, I probably won’t do the Fried ones just because they are SOOO bad for you, BUT what he wants he gets that day!!

Spicy Fried Wings

Party Fav #5

Meatball Sliders! Not just any Meatball Sliders guys, Cheesy Stuffed Meatball Sliders!!! These were to die for, serve them in a slider bun or as is with some tooth pics! If you want to go all out, use ground beef instead of Turkey, I try to stay a little on the healthy side so I do ground Turkey. These will be sure to please any crowd!

Party Fav #6

Puffs Puffs Puffs!! Puffs of Pepperoni, these neat little snacks I made called Pepperoni Puffs. I’m making these for game day this year because it’s been awhile since I’ve made them and they are super easy. They are also super easy to make a head of time too. You can make these the day before and refrigerate them, pull them out on game day and heat them up in your oven! Wala-Simple!  Not to mention the quick and easy 6 ingredients it has!

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Party Fav #7

Sausage Rolls – This is a quick and easy make for Game Day. I’m actually attempting to make a Ham & Cheese Roll just like this for my daughter tonight for dinner! (Stay tuned) this is a great snack for everyone and anyone! Serve it with a side of sauce and dip as you eat!

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AND NOW A FEW SNACKS FOR YOU VEGETARIANS OUT THERE……..OR IF YOU JUST FEEL LIKE BEING HEALTHY!

Party Fav #8

Humus and Cucumber Dip – I know it doesn’t sound appealing, if you don’t like humus you won’t like this dip, but if you do, you will LOVE this dip….sounds like an odd combo but it tastes awesome together and it’s healthy!!!! Snack away on Game Day and feel good about it!

Party Fav #9

Vegetable Spring Rolls - It looks intimidating, it looks hard, but I promise you, it’s EASY!!! VERY EASY. EASY PEASY!! They cooked awesome in the oven too, they are healthier when you bake them in the oven, I was hesitant on how they were going to come out but they were awesome. OK. Now. I. Want. Some.

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Party Fav #10

PIZZA!! Who doesn’t love Pizza! How about a healthy Pizza?? A Vegetarian Pizza that is NOT boring. These are seriously addicting! They are made in little bite size pieces for the convienance of your guests! You can’t just have I promise you that. Super easy and a great snack you can make ahead of time, actually I advise you to make this ahead of time, it’s even better chilled :)

Veggie Pizza (10)

Well there you have it my friends!! I may not like football, but I love cooking for friends and family so I can’t wait to get my butt in the kitchen and make up a bunch of these picky foods! What’s on your menu for Game Day????

Raspberry Hot Chocolate for a #SundaySupper Holiday Party

It’s that time of year when everyone gets together to see their loved ones for the holidays. Or even those fantastic work holiday parties that your company may hold, believe it or not I miss going to a company holiday party! Well why not host your own holiday gathering! Connie from The Foodie Army Wife is hosting this fabulous party and the #SundaySupper group has gotten together to provide you with some amazing appetizer and drink recipes for your next party!!

I decided to make a drink, as I was searching for what to make, I drooled over the holiday alcoholic ones, I then thought  maybe I’m better off making an appetizer because I can’t have alcohol this holiday season because of my little bambino, but there is always next year! Then I came across this awesome recipe for Raspberry Hot Cocoa, I knew this would be something my husband and I would enjoy some cold wintry night!

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Raspberry Hot Cocoa

  • Prep/Total Time: 10 min.
  • Yield: 4 Servings
  • Recipe From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups 2% milk
  • 1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar
  • Optional toppings: whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate curls

Holiday Party (2)

Directions:

  • In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan (do not boil).
  • Place the raspberries, chocolate and sugar in a blender; cover. While processing, gradually add hot milk in a steady stream. Strain; discard seeds. Serve in mugs; top with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Holiday Party (1)

Nutritional Facts:

1 cup (calculated without toppings) equals 325 calories, 17 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 92 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 10 g protein.

 Now lets go check out what everyone else has made for this wonderful party we are holding!

Holiday Cocktails

Holiday Appetizers or Hors d’oeuvres

Our normal 7PM tweet chat has been canceled for this evening. I’d like to use this moment to say a special prayer for the victims of such a horrific tragedy that took place in CT on Friday, December 14th. A special thank you to the hero’s who risked their lives for those innocent children. I bow my head for those missing at their own Sunday Supper Dinner Table

We’d also love to feature your recipe for holiday parties on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

Holiday Cookie Exchange for #SundaySupper

This weeks theme for #SundaySupper is something that will surly get your in the holiday mood!! Who doesn’t like a yummy, scrumptious, comforting cookie for a treat while wrapping gifts, sitting by the fire or sipping on a cup of cocoa? So why not share them with one another and trade it up! Have you ever been part of a cookie swap? Well if not here is your chance to start! I for one have not been involved in a Cookie exchange of any sorts however I’m going to enjoy doing so this week!

This Week, Sunday Supper has  a special host who knows all about Cookies.  Janet Keeler, Food & Travel Editor for the Tampa Bay Times and Author of Cookielicious will be joining us with tips on baking for the Ultimate Cookie Exchange and to answer any of your baking questions.   Grab a glass of milk and join us for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange during #SundaySupper this week.  We are giving away 5 signed copies of Cookielicious with 150 fabulous recipes to bake and share.

We all know this Momma is not a baker, I like being able to sprinkle, mix, and sprinkle some more to make things taste just the way I like, well we can’t do that with baking because, well it just doesn’t work that way now does it? Well it doesn’t for me! So when I sat here wondering what kind of cookie to make I instantly remembered the awesome cookie cook book my best friend gave me for Christmas last year, I jumped up and ran to my kitchen with excitement! As quickly as I got excited, I got disappointed because I realized I had already packed up my cookbooks for the big move next month. I was yet stumped again. Then my  monthly subscription to The Taste of Home came in the mail and when I saw “The Holiday Baking Guide” I couldn’t wait to see what they had to offer. Enter Candy Cane Blossom Cookies, I never knew these sweet little cookies had an actual name, you know those cookie rounds that have a Hershey kiss in the middle?? Well these ones have candy canes in them! They appeared easy enough for me to make, they looked cute and seemed VERY festive!

Candy Cane Blossom Cookies
Recipe From: Taste of Home
Serves: 2 dozen

Cookie Swap

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter, softened
1/2 Cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3 candy canes, finely crushed
24 candy cane, chocolate kisses or mint patties

What to do:

In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Shape into 1 in balls; roll each ball in the crushed candy canes. Place 2 in apart on ungreased baking sheets.**

Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. or until bottoms are golden brown. Immediately press a kiss or patty into each cookie. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

DSCN9588

**TO FREEZE: Freeze shaped balls of dough on a baking sheet until firm. Place balls in resealable freezer bags up to 3 months. Bake frozen balls as directed above increasing the baking time by 1-2 minutes.

DSCN9585

This Week, Sunday Supper has  a special host who knows all about Cookies.  Janet Keeler, Food & Travel Editor for the Tampa Bay Times and Author of Cookielicious will be joining us with tips on baking for the Ultimate Cookie Exchange and to answer any of your baking questions.   Grab a glass of milk and join us for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange during #SundaySupper this week.  We are giving away 5 signed copies  of Cookielicious with 150 fabulous recipes to bake and share.

The Sunday Supper Favorite Cookie Exchange Cookies:

Do you have a favorite cookie to take to a Cookie Exchange?  Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 9th.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your recipe for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

Trick-Or-Treat for #SundaySupper!

So I’ve never really been into Halloween. I know I know, I’m strange, I really am. I hated being scared as a kid OK. I hated that feeling that came in the pit of my stomach after going through a Haunted House or being scared half to death. However, I do love the imagination that can go into a costume, or the creativity that can go into decorating a house, and now that I consider myself an actual Foodie, I can appreciate the imagination and the creativity that goes into decorating food for a specific holiday!! This #SundaySupper has gathered together to bring you some great Halloween Treats!! Yay!! You have to check out the creativity behind these dishes guys! They are truly incredible!

When picking a recipe I didn’t really know which way to go, I’ve never made a Halloween dish before, then I was flipping through my Hannaford’s flyer one day and saw these Deviled Cupcakes made with Devil’s Food Cake from Dunkan Hines. I then came up with the idea for my recipe! Yes besides the Dunkan Hines, the rest I came up with on my own. I’m quite pride. The best part is it’s super simple and you get that creamed whipped topping that Hannaford’s puts on their cakes……..Mmmmmm….I hope no real bakers out there hate on me because I took the simple route on this one, it’s just proof that even if you don’t have the “knack” to bake, you can still bake something incredible! I will surly be trying this version from scratch at some point!

Bleeding Devil Cakes2

 Bleeding Devil Cakes

Recipe Aspired From: Hannaford’s
Makes: 24 Cup Cakes

 Cupcakes:

1 Box of Dunkan Hines Devil Food Cake Mix

Frosting:

1 18 oz carton of Dunkun Hines Vanilla Whipped Frosting
1 8 oz carton of Lite Cool Whip

Blood:

1 tube of red decorating gel

What to do:

Mix the cake mix according to the package directions for the cupcakes. The box gives you options of what kind of cake/cupcakes your making, follow the baking directions for the cupcakes.

While those are baking I stirred together the cool whip and whipped frosting. I put it into large zip lock back and refrigerated until the cupcakes were finished baking and cooling. I think the cooling part is important.

Slowly drip the decorating gel over the vanilla frosting. Tada…….instant goodness!! I was quite surprised at how good they were, so good I sent them to my daughters daycare the next day, partly for her birthday but partly because I would have eaten them all!

Bleeding Devil Cakes

Let’s see what the rest of the #SundaySupper crew cooked up for this Goulish, Scary, Crazy Holiday!!

Bewitching Brews:

Ghoulish Gruel:

Haunted Snacks:

Spooky Sweets:

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day, this Sunday (October 28th) during #SundaySupper.  We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about all things Halloween.  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your favorite Halloween recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

Hostess Cupcakes

So this recipe is adapted by one of my very own Co-Hosts!! Serena over at Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch! She’s a doll and I can’t wait to reveal her recipe that I made tomorrow!! I changed things a bit but please do give credit for the actual Cup Cake to Serena!!
I’m not sure what inspired me to jump up and make these babies yesterday afternoon at 4:30 when I should have been making dinner!! I just saw them and said I have to try them!! It didn’t dawn on me that I would have 2 dozen cupcakes knowing we were taking off the next day for our summer camp for the weekend!! Whoopsy! So my daughters daycare got a dozen :) My hubby will get the other dozen LOL…..I tried a bite just to taste it and well take that awesome picture below of the middle!!
Makes: About 24 Cupcakes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes Or Until a Toothpick Inserted In The Center Comes Out Clean (A few Crumbs Are OK)
Assembly: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For  Chocolate Cupcakes
  • 2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 cup Canola Oil or Cooking Oil
  • 4 whole Eggs, Beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 cup Hot Coffee

For Filling

This is what I ended up using, most recipes were way too complicated or I didn’t have the ingredients so I decided to give this a shot, the middle of a Hostess Cupcake is by far the best part, I may just try using the cool whip next time honestly. I know it’s supposed to be marshmellowy but I love cool whip and it comes as reduced fat. Or I may try incorporating fluff instead next time.

  • 1/2 Cup of Mini Marshmellows
  • 1/2 Cup of Reduced fat cool whip
For Glaze
  • 1 cup Chocolate  (Good Quality) (I used 1 1/2 big bars of Gherradelli Chocolate)
  • 4 tablespoons Butter, Softened
Preparation Instructions:
For Chocolate Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 12 cup standard size muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix until incorporated.
Add all wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium low until batter is nice and smooth.  Fill lined muffin tins 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean. ( A few crumbs are ok.) Allow to cool until room temperature.  Repeat until all batter has been used.
For Filling 
I microwaved the marshmallows and the cool whip together with a tablespoon of butter, which I would not do next time because it discolored it and made it a little too liquidy. Hey the color in the middle of a hostess cupcake is supposed to be white!! I want it white LOL!!
For Glaze
Place chocolate (Cut up) and butter into a  microwave safe container. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between heating, until smooth. (I used the new Land O Lakes Olive Oil and Sea Salt butter!!)
Assembly
Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the center of the cupcake. Cut the cone-shaped piece off leaving just the top and set aside. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
Fill each cup cake with Filling. Using either a spoon or a large gallon size Ziploc bag fitted with a large cake tip. (I used the zip lock bag which worked perfect) Cover the filling with the remaining cupcake top. (Push down, who cares if a little filling comes out!! The glaze will hide it!
Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
Use glaze and frost each cupcake.

I let them sit in my fridge over night. I also ran out of the center filling to make the cute little squiggly marks on the top :( So instead I used a little frosting I had left over. Since I had decided to bring some to my daughters daycare I thought it was convenient that I had blue and pink!
OMY!!!!!
Yeah next time I’ll plump these puppies up! It sounds like a lot of work but it really wasn’t. I did it in steps. I even made dinner and ate in the middle of everything! I made the cupcakes and while they were baking I melted the chocolate and made dinner. I made the filling and cut out the middles while dinner was warming up. I filled the cupcakes and glazed them after dinner. Then I frosted them this morning :) Wala!! SUPER MOM! I just don’t want to have that kid that tells their mother the day before that she needs 3 dozen cupcakes the next day for the bake sale! Did you read that Maddie….don’t do that someday! Or maybe by then I’ll be a pro!! :)

Happy Easter Eve!

What are you doing to get ready for Easter? I did a lot today, I made my Mashed Potato Casserole, everything but the cheese and bread crumbs on top. I made my carrots, everything but the honey & walnuts on top. I also baked some cupcakes, but I’ll decorate them tomorrow so they are moist and super yummy. I did decorate one just for fun because I learnt how to make “green” grass!! Fun!!! So here is my kitchen today!!

I started with the Cupcakes….I love making cupcakes I decided. Not sure why but I just decided today. So I bought a lemon flavored white cupcake, my thinking behind that was it’s a good flavor for Easter! Smells yummy!! I debated frosting them today, and though I really really wanted to because that’s the fun part, I just packaged them up and I’ll do them tomorrow morning.

I found 2 throw away cupcake pans so I was able to bake them all at the same time!! I guess I need to get more cupcake pans (hint-hint)

They are small and cute….they smell good……nice and lemony! Thanks to my late grandmother I can let my “baked goods” cool in style!

OK I couldn’t resist! I had to decorate one!!! :)

Oh what’s that you want to know how to make that cute green grass on top…under those jelly beans? Ok…easy enough……

Yes that is coconut and 4 dots of green dye (thank you very much leftover from St.Patty’s Day!) ………….Wala! Green Grass!

OK so then I moved onto the Mashed Potato Casserole, their is a secret ingredient in this recipe, I can’t wait to try it tomorrow, I’ve never made it before!! It tasted good but I bet the cheesy, crunchy topping will just complete it!

So I cute up 3 lbs of Gold Yukon Potatos. These suckers were huge I must add!
Cutting them into small pieces makes them cook faster I think, even if they don’t I just think they do. Remember to try and cut the chunks around the same size so they all cook the same, I was close, but still had a few chunks I had to take out because the larger chunks were not fully cooked (I hate that) but if you like it chunky go for it, I’m just used to creamy mashed potatoes!! I also used fresh garlic (another secret ingredient)

When you mash them, you use 1/2 cup of the boiling water, (hello garlic!) and 6 oz of cream cheese! YES cream cheese, and that’s it!!! Oh My Yumminess!!!!! So I put it in my casserole dish (yes my later grandmother’s so proud!!)

And tomorrow I will top it with the 1/2 Cup of parmesean cheese and 1/2 Cup of bread crumbs :) Oh and green onions aka scallions!!! YUMMY stay tuned for the end results!

OK So then we breaked for lunch LOL…boo ate on her new bunny plate!! Don’t worry she didn’t eat all of this, most of if ended up on the floor :)

Then I finally got to the carrot dish, it’s going to end tomorrow with a honey glaze and some scattered almonds however today I just got to the carrots part. It’s been so long since I used fresh carrots, it felt good, I always buy them in the “baby carrott” style, nope this is the real deal folks….so I peeled, washed and diced!

And then I just put them on in my dish and put them in the fridge until I roast them in the honey & walnuts tomorrow!

See this momma had a full day in the kitchen……then I decided to spend some time with boo….She got ready for the Easter bunny by taking a bath, having snuggle time with momma, milk and a cracker :) This is a “N”….here you go Nana, “N” is for Nana!!

Of course she wore her bunny PJ’s so she can wait for the Easter bunny to visit!!!How can you not love these! When my mom gave these to her for Christmas I couldn’t wait for Easter, here we are!!

AND……..Momma is ending her evening like this while daddy plays hockey!!! LOL…

Have a wonderful Easter everyone! Come back on Monday when this momma shares her Easter with you!! :)

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