Easy Bacon Frittata Recipe (Plus a Giveaway)

 Book Reviews, Open Giveaways, Recipes  26 Responses »
May 102013
 

Thank you to Gooseberry Patch for providing a cookbook to try out this yummy frittata recipe.

Breakfast foods have always been some of my favorites.  Eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, bacon.  They’re so versatile – and delicious – but I often end up serving them the same ‘ole way.  So when I saw the recipe for an Easy Bacon Frittata in Gooseberry Patch’s new cookbook “101 Farmhouse Favorites” I knew it was the first thing I wanted to try.

While I’ve always enjoyed frittatas, this was my first time attempting to make one.  I’m glad I gave it a whirl.  It was easy to complete and makes a nice change from standard breakfast or brunch fare.

Easy Bacon Frittata Recipe

Continue reading »

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

 Recipes  1 Response »
Apr 132013
 

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Spaghetti is one meal that is in consistent rotation in our house.  It’s one of those simple meals that’s filling and just hits the right spot.  It also doesn’t hurt that Bubbles enjoys “noodles” so it’s a meal that the whole family can enjoy.

A lot of times spaghetti ends up being a spur-of-the-moment decision.  The kind of meal where you’ve sat around asking “What should we have for dinner?” for the last 2 hours and finally everyone agrees that some sauce-covered pasta would be a great choice.  When it’s more of a planned meal, however, I like to take the time to make my own spaghetti sauce.

Homemade spaghetti sauce is not that complex, so if you haven’t tried it yet – now’s your chance!  It’s mostly just pour and mix, with a few taste-tests to ensure a balance of spices suited to your taste.  It also freezes well so make a batch and serve it with dinner and then freeze the leftovers so when the pasta mood strikes, you’ll never have to say “shoot, I need to run to the store”.

Print
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (12 oz) tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (6-8 oz each) tomato paste
  • ½ C water
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 3 T brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • ½ tsp. fennel seeds
  • 2 T Italian seasoning
  • 1 T kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 T dried parsley

Instructions
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water to a stock pot.
  2. Mix in all remaining ingredients, stirring until well-combined.
  3. Cover and simmer on low for at least 2.5 hours. More time will allow the flavors to develop more deeply.
  4. If desired, add addition mix-ins just before serving. Some suggestions are:
  5. Ground beef (browned)
  6. Ground sausage (browned)
  7. Artichoke hearts (drained)
  8. Mushrooms (drained if canned)
  9. Parmesan cheese (grated)
  10. Plain sauce (with no mix-ins) can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Plain sauce (with no mix-ins) can also be frozen and stored for 2-4 months.

What is your favorite addition to pasta sauce?

Savory Cheese Biscuit Recipe from Gooseberry Patch

 Book Reviews, Recipes  85 Responses »
Mar 222013
 

Savory Cheese Biscuit Recipe from Gooseberry Patch's "Weeknight Dinners"

Rustic Cheese Biscuit Recipe

Rolls are one of my favorite things about going out to eat at a restaurant.  Almost all of them bring you a basket of rolls or biscuits, loaves of bread, or bread sticks.  Some have great flavored butters or provide you with dipping sauces.  No matter the form or the accouterments  it’s always good.

We do try and serve a few of our own bread sides with our meals at home, too.  Usually it’s heat-and-serve rolls or garlic bread, homemade cornbread, or on occasion a homemade loaf of bread.  One thing I’ve wanted to try that I hadn’t so far, though, were cheese biscuits.  They are a family-favorite when we go out to eat (Ashley says she could live on them) and I hoped that any homemade variety that I tried would be similar in taste.

Then I found this Savory Cheese Biscuit recipe in the new “Weeknight Dinners” cookbook from Gooseberry Patch.  The recipe was submitted to the cookbook by J.C. Schmeltekopf and they are extremely fast and easy to make.  They’re also really good.  Hubby had one and said, “Hey that’s good”.  Five minutes later he was saying, “Hey that’s really good” and kept commenting on them throughout the night.  Always a good sign! Continue reading »

Fast and Fun Breakfast & Brunch Ideas for Kids

 For the Kids, For Toddlers, Recipes  1 Response »
Mar 182013
 

French Toast and Pancake Recipes for Kids

It always seems that breakfast is one of those meals that is almost always the same.  Yogurt and a piece of toast, some scrambled eggs with a couple strips of bacon, pancakes, cereal – whatever it is, I feel like once we find something we enjoy that fills us up for the morning we tend to stick with it.  Habit and routine help us get our morning started and keep everyone on schedule.

Every once in awhile, though, it’s nice to break out of the rut and add in some new options.  On the weekends we have a bit more time and try things like different breakfast casseroles, omelets, Eggs Benedict, and things like that.  But during the week to help add variety, yet still get our picky eater to eat, we sometimes turn to frozen products to help speed up our prep.  And because breakfast for us is mostly about getting Bubbles to eat something I really like the “mini” frozen foods, like the new Aunt Jemima Lil’ Griddles.  They have mini pancakes, mini blueberry pancakes, and french toast sticks. Continue reading »

Yummy Pie Recipes to Celebrate Pi Day

 Holidays, Recipes  8 Responses »
Mar 142013
 

Pie Recipes for Pi Day via viewsfromtheville.com

Pie Recipes for Pi Day

Today is March 14th.  I know, not really much of an announcement is it?  But… it kind of is.  Because you can also write the date like 3.14 or even 3/14.  When you look at it that way you may recognize those numbers.  They are the first three numbers of pi (3.14159, approximately) which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to it’s diameter (hello, high school geometry, I have not missed you).

I’m sorry if you fell asleep there for a moment.  But now let’s wake back up and talk about food!  Because pi the number is pronounced the exact same way as pie the food.  And pie is delicious.  So some creative person in history said “Hey, why don’t we celebrate Pi Day with, you know, pie?”  Smart idea!

I have a pie recipe I had hoped to share with you today but Bubbles has kept me quite busy all day and it just didn’t happen.  So I’ll have it for you tomorrow or this weekend.  In the meantime, however, here are a few yummy pie recipes both from fellow bloggers as well as some Pinterest finds. Continue reading »

It’s National Girl Scout Day! Bake Up Your Own Girl Scout Cookies with These Recipes

 Recipes  3 Responses »
Mar 122013
 

Girl Scout Cookies Recipes

Recipes for Homemade Girl Scout Cookies and more

Today is National Girl Scout Day.  Each year they celebrate the creation of the first Girl Scouts group which formed on March 12th, 1912.  I personally was not ever a Girl Scout but I’ve had my fair share of Girl Scout cookies.

Lately I’ve seen a number of homemade and DIY Girl Scout Cookies recipes on Pinterest, as well as a number of recipes that use Girl Scout cookies as an ingredient.  I thought it would be fun to share some of those recipes with you; eating cookies sounds like a great way to celebrate to me!  I definitely will have to give the homemade Samoas a try as they’re one of my husband’s favorites.  But the Tagalongs with no butter and no sugar are intriguing, too, and I may have to try that one, as well.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookie Recipes

Homemade Samoas from Just A Taste
Homemade Tagalongs from The View from the Great Island
Homemade Lemonades from The Family Kitchen on Babble
Homemade Do-Si-Dos from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Homemade Thin Mints from Chef in Training
Gluten-Free Samoas from Real Sustenance
Gluten-Free Do-Si-Dos from The Baking Beauties

Recipes Using Girl Scout Cookies

Thin Mint Truffles from The Recipe Critic
Girl Scout Cookie Fudge from Dine and Dish
Girl Scout Cookie Shakes (two kinds) from Your Homebased Mom

If you have some extra Thin Mint cookies kicking around (ha ha, extra cookies.  I know, funny) may I suggest using them as a base for mini cheesecakes?  They are delicious.  They’re also great chopped up for Grasshopper Pie.

Which kind of Girl Scout cookies is your favorite?  Do you have any recipes to share?

Images sourced from Pinterest

Enjoy the College Basketball Tournament with my Madness Munch Recipe!

 Recipes  6 Responses »
Mar 102013
 

Madness Munch Recipe

Madness Munch Recipe for College Basketball Tournament Viewing Parties

The college basketball tournament will be starting soon and we’re all pretty excited.  Hopefully the Cats will manage to sneak in this year (it hasn’t really been the best year for the UK men’s basketball team) so that we can cheer for them.  Even if they don’t, we’ll definitely be watching the games.

I don’t know about you but when we watch something special like a once-per-year tournament I like to make special snacks or meals to help celebrate.  I wanted to make something that we could eat over the course of a few days so that we could enjoy it during most of the games.  So I decided to make “Madness Munch”.  Bubbles of course wanted to help – she loves to help me in the kitchen and I love to have the help.  This recipe is fast and easy to make and you can customize it to fit the tastes of your family.

Print
Madness Munch
 

Ingredients
  • ½ pkg. white almond bark
  • 1 pkg. microwave popcorn
  • 1 box (theater-size) Reese’s Pieces
  • 1 cup almonds, chopped
  • 1 cup pretzels, coarsely crushed
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ T shortening

Instructions
  1. Pop popcorn according to package instructions. Allow to cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or waxed paper.
  3. Once popcorn is cool, spread over the baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle Reese’s Pieces, almond pieces, and pretzels pieces over the popcorn.
  5. Melt the almond bark in the microwave according to package instructions.
  6. Pour melted bark over the top of the popcorn mix, coating well. Allow to harden and cool completely.
  7. Melt chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir thoroughly. Drizzle across the top of the popcorn mix.
  8. Allow to cool completely (chocolate will not harden quite as much as the bark). Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container.

 

 

Do you have a favorite college basketball viewing recipe?

Celebrate National Potato Chip Day on March 14th

 Holidays, Recipes  2 Responses »
Mar 072013
 

Celebrate Delicious Potato Chips – the #1 Snack Food!

Celebrate National Potato Chip Day with Recipes Using Potato Chips

National Potato Chip day is just around the corner and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give a little nod to Chef George Crum who is popularly believed to have invented the potato chip as we know it.  He was dealing with a finicky customer who complained their fried potatoes were too thick and soggy and kept returning them to the kitchen.  Frustrated, Chef Crum cut them as thin as possible, cooked them crisp, and added extra salt.  Instead of being angry the customer loved them and they were immediately added to the menu under the name “Saratoga Chips”.

Potato chips have come a long way since then.  They’re now available in different cooking varieties like baked, kettle-cooked, homemade (even in the microwave!), and fried.  And the flavor varieties now produced honestly can boggle your mind.  There are the more traditional combinations like salt and pepper, barbecue (one of my favorites),  sour cream and onion, and plain.  Then there are more unique flavors like pickle, ketchup, salt and pepper, and new flavors like chicken and waffles, cheese fries, Cajun, and sweet chili.  You can even cover potato chips in chocolate, use them as a base for nachos, and use them as a coating for chicken or fish.

Potato Chips for Cooking - National Potato Chip Day

Image with permission of 7 on a Shoestring

Here are a few recipes that you can try that use potato chips as an ingredient.

Chip-encrusted Chicken Nuggets by 7 on a Shoestring
Baked Chip-Coated Chicken Strips by Tammilee Tips
Potato Chip Brownies by The Maven of Social Media
Oven Parmesan Chips by Taste of Home
Chili-dusted Sweet Potato Chips by Tyler Florence
Chip-crusted Tater Tot Casserole by Allrecipes
Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips by Allrecipes

What are your favorite potato chips?

Quick and Easy Rice & Bean Burrito Recipe

 Recipes  4 Responses »
Mar 052013
 

Burrito Recipe Using Minute Ready to Serve Rice #LoveEveryMinute

Rice & Bean Burrito Recipe

While I love to cook for my family from scratch sometimes we need a quick and easy bite that fits into our sometimes-busy schedule.  It also needs to taste good and be healthy.  And if our “choosy” 2-year-old likes it even better!

The other day we decided to make some homemade quesadillas for dinner and it kind of put us in the mood for a few other Mexican/Tex-Mex dishes.  One thing I like about making some of our favorites at home is that we can both customize them to our tastes as well as lighten them up a bit.  We really like burritos so I thought why not put together a basic rice and bean burrito recipe?

Cooking rice can take awhile and doesn’t always come out perfectly (at least for me it never seems quite as fluffy as it does from a restaurant).  So I decided to take a little short cute and use some ready-to-serve Minute Rice.  The rice turned out wonderfully and definitely cut down on my prep time.  The burrito recipe doesn’t call for many ingredients; you might even have them all on hand.  But though it’s a simple recipe it really does taste great!  Hubby was even lured to the kitchen by the smell while it was cooking.

Rice & Bean Burrito Recipe Using Minute Rice #LoveEveryMinute

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Quick and Easy Rice & Bean Burrito Recipe
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 2-4
 

Ingredients
  • 4 Flour Tortillas (burrito/medium size)
  • 1 can seasoned black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 pkg Minute Ready-to-Serve Long Grain White Rice
  • 1 packet taco seasoning mix
  • ½ C shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • salsa or sour cream, optional

Instructions
  1. Cook both cups of rice according to package directions.
  2. While the rice cooks, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
  3. Empty rice into skillet; add black beans and taco seasoning mix (add to seasoning to taste).
  4. Stir rice, beans, and seasoning until well-coated. Continue to cook over medium heat until beans are warmed through.
  5. Remove from heat and add cheese; stir until cheese has melted.
  6. Heat tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds. Spoon filling down the middle of the tortilla and roll up. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  7. Serve with a side of salsa or sour cream, if desired.

Minute Ready-to-Serve Rice for Burrito Recipe #LoveEveryMinute

What is your favorite recipe using rice?

Minute® Ready to Serve Rice is an ideal portable solution for lunch or breakfast because you can eat it on the go, straight from the cup. In just 60 seconds, you have fully cooked rice for any meal or snack. You’ll never get bored with your lunch since there are 10 flavorful and wholesome varieties. If you’re looking for a healthy option, Minute® Ready to Serve Rice provides easy portion control since it’s conveniently packaged in two individual single-serve cups.

Visit http://www.minuterice.com/ for recipes, including Minute® Ready to Serve Stir it Up recipe ideas and more information about the Minute® Rice family of products.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Ready to Serve Rice.

Slow Cooker Recipes: Cheesy Pizza Dip

 Book Reviews, Recipes, Reviews  22 Responses »
Feb 152013
 

Slow Cooker Recipes From Gooseberry Patch

Slow Cooker Recipes: Pizza Dip from Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year 'Round

Bubbles’ birthday party is next weekend and I’ve been working on our menu.  Most of the party ideas I found earlier were for sweets and decor; only one of them was for something to go with the meal.  And while Minnie Oreo pops and cupcakes sound delicious, I think our guests might also like something savory.  Appetizers, dips, and finger sandwiches all came to mind as they’re usually easy to throw together and people can graze while they talk and hang out.

My husband makes a great cheesy sausage dip that we often have for family gatherings and tailgating but I thought maybe for this party we’d have something just a bit different.  I don’t want to serve my guests anything I haven’t tried before, though, so for the last few days I’ve been cooking up small batches of dip to sample.  One that I found that I like is the Pleasing Pizza Dip submitted by Jennifer Crsip to Gooseberry Patch’s new cookbook Slow Cooking All Year ‘Round.

Slow Cooker Pleasing Pizza Dip

1 C ground Italian pork sausage, browned & drained
1 C pepperoni, diced
2 8oz packages cream cheese, cubed
2 C shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C sour cream
2 1/2 C pizza sauce
2 1/2 T dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients except tortilla chips in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until dip is smooth and warmed through.  Serve warm with tortilla chips.  Serves 10-12.

Slow Cooker Recipes: Pizza Dip from Gooseberry Patch's "Slow Cooking All Year 'Round" Cookbook

What I love about this recipe is that you can mix it up to include your favorite pizza toppings.  I’m not sure if all our guests like mushrooms, but the next time I make this for just our family (for a football game or just to snack on during the weekend) I will probably add a small can of sliced mushrooms.  Or maybe ground beef instead of sausage plus a handful of diced bacon.  Lots of possibilities! Continue reading »

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