Egg Salad BLT's

 Remember when Tara told us how EXCITED she was to get this? 

Well, since then I have been drooling over of the recipes on their BLOG and tonight we had these:

Egg Salad BLT

They are DELICIOUS!  I added a few extra ingredients - avocado slices and provolone cheese.

You know it's good when your kids eat it and say this:

"Wow mom!  This is the best dinner ever!"

Perfection.

Luck of the Irish

Somewhere over the rainbow you might find your pot of gold. Well, I like to eat mine. And I am totally THRILLED to share this post with you. You might have guessed that I can create something someone else has already made, a.k.a. copying. I love to make things and I am very good at copying, just not creating. I just want to scream at the top my of lungs that I finally created something: Rainbow Fruit Pizza! And just in time for St. Patrick's Day too. What a yummy way to serve fruit.

Okay, if this isn't an original idea of mine and it has already been discovered and in blogland for years now, please don't dash my spirits right now. Wait until next week to tell me that I once again am not original. I can take it, but not until next week, okay? Thanks.

I will let you in on a hint. Just make the regular fruit pizza and then cut in in half. Bam! {love you Emeril} There you go, your own rainbow.

Okay, super simple recipe here folks:

-your favorite sugar cookie dough

-your favorite fruits (think colors of the rainbow)

-this topping:

8oz pkg cream cheese

8oz container of whipped topping (small tub)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 c sugar

Beat cream cheese. Add vanilla and sugar. Fold in whipped topping.

Spread the sugar cookie dough on your baking sheet to make a giant circle. Bake as directed. Cool completely. Prepare your fruits. I used a large serrated knife and went around the baked sugar cookie to release it from the baking pan. I then cut it in half! This will make two rainbow fruit pizzas. I transfered the half rainbow to a serving dish. Spread with half the topping and the add the fruit, arranging to your desire. Super simple. Super yummy. and Super impressive. You have one to eat and one to give away, again, adding to your impressiveness.

Not too shabby on my photography, I must admit. Makes me want to reach into the screen and pick off a grape and pop it in my mouth.

with edible clouds

or with your pot of gold

Which ever way you like it, it is a delicious treat that any little Leprechaun would love. Whip one up tonight for your little leprechauns!

Yummy Goodness

I have a crush. A fetish. An obsession. Not really sure what to call it, but I do spend a lot of time with Kate and Sara on their blog Our Best Bites. Now, I crush on them at home and drool over their luscious photographs in my new cookbook of theirs. Just came in my mail monday. The hubby was sweet and got it for me for valentine's day. Because I am such a fan, I was elated he did so well as giving me a thoughtful gift. Now that I think about it, it was a selfish and clever gift for himself. Think about it. I cook from my new dream cookbook and he eats like a king. Smart man, my hubby is. Oh well, I guess we both win from this.

I have been trying recipes from their blog for a while now. I am elated to have them all in one nice, neat little book at my fingertips. Plus, they have this really cool little section in the back called the "rollover ingredient" section. If you have extra of an ingredient, say buttermilk, look there for recipes to use it in. Genius.

So, here is the link to one of my favorite little recipes of their and a reader favorite too: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos. hEaVeN!! And fairly simple to make too! Just try it. You will be hooked like I am. Maybe they should hire me to endorse their blog, cookbook, recipes, etc. No really, their recipes are really really good.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Don't forget to make the Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing! This is a knock off of Cafe Rio's dressing and it is dreamy. This dinner makes my knees weak. Make this for me and I will do anything for you. Really!

Brussel Sprouts & Bacon

YES! You read that right!

BRUSSELS SPROUTS & BACON.

I always wanted to like Buster Browns (has my Mama calls 'em) but I just couldn't.  They tasted like dirty socks.  Then one day, I came home with MORE than one family could possibly eat - thanks to the lovely fruit and veggie co-op we all love Bountiful Baskets.

I couldn't let all these green veggies go to waste.  So I had to find a recipe that would spark my kids interest.  When I saw a recipe call for BACON, I knew in my heart of hearts this would be a HIT!

And it was DELICIOUS!

I will never look at these little green things the same!

I guess I had been cooking them wrong.  And I am really happy I learned how to cook them RIGHT!  Because they truly are amazing and with bacon.... OH YUM!

Here's How:

Wash and rinse brussels sprouts

Peel off outer layer on all sprouts and cut in half

Chop bacon into chunky pieces

Pour a little olive oil in a pan

Toss in brussels sprouts and bacon

Coat with Greek Seasoning - Oh how I love this stuff!

If you are an onion lover, chop up some onions and throw those in too!

Saute until bacon begins to crisp but make sure you don't burn the brussels sprouts!

My kids and I were a little nervous at first.  But, trust me - it was DIVINE!

When I began my recipe search, I just used the main ingredients - the bacon, brussels sprouts and olive oil!  They all called for weird items I didn't have on hand so this is kind of my own made up recipe.  If you want a more gourmet version, give it a google! 

Leftover Love

I'm sure you're over Valentine's Day.

I am.

Cleaned it up yesterday, boxed, and packed away until next year. However, we just finished the leftovers from this German Chocolate Drizzle Cake that I made for my hubby on Monday.

Yes, this cake is as good as it looks. The frosting was DIVINE. We had plenty to share. You better bet we shared this cake (I'm already failing miserably on my new years resolution to slim down a little). It was huge. It also paired nicely with a couple of tall glasses of ice cold milk. You have to try it. It was finger lickn' good.

A little bite of hEaVeN

YUM! Thank you Reece's for putting this recipe on your bag. My weakness: chocolate and peanut butter. Reece's peanut butter cups have perfected this combination. Yes, they are my guilty pleasures. Make a batch up for yourself and you be the judge. Oh, yummy goodness.Peanut Butter Temptations

from Reece's bag, makes approximately 40

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 11oz package of Reece's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Beat together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Then add peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Mix well. Finally, add the flour, baking soda and salt. You will need a mini muffin tin, spray with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1" balls and place into muffin tin. Bake for 10-12 minutes (watch your oven, I baked mine for less time and about 25 degrees lower but I have a hot oven) at 375 degrees. Remove and immediately press peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool and Serve. I actually liked them the second day after being in an airtight container, they were softer. AGAIN: YUM!

Quick Ideas: New Year's Finger Foods

New Years to my family means games. So in between rounds, hands, game changes, winning and fun conversations, we make a dash to the kitchen and get a couple of mouthfuls of yummy food and then head back to the games. Here are some awesome ideas for the perfect food for your holiday: Appetizers, Finger Food, Munchies, etc, whatever you want to call them!

Family Fun has these great dips on their site. The snowman is simply whimsical and the present is elegant to me. Can’t go wrong with cream cheese!

Favorite Go To Recipe: Raspberry Jalapeño Jelly served over cream cheese with crackers. Elegant. Impressive. Flavorful. Simple. Did I mention how tasty this was?

(Forgot to take my own picture, pic courtesy of Cooking with Krista)

And my new favorite hot dip: MOMMY CRACK

(aka Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip) from Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking.

My photo just doesn't do it justice. It is seriously that good. You have to add this to your new years menu.

Oh, and my friends Sara and Kate (I speak as if I really know them! Well, I know them pretty well through their blog!) over at Our Best Bites have an even more fantastic list of foods. Go check them out! I recommend the Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos; made them last night and my family raved and raved about them.

Here's to a Wonderful New Year's Eve party, ringing in 2011!

Pop Up Pancakes

The other night I stumbled upon something FABULOUS!  Pop Up Pancakes!  I had never heard of them, but they are a spin off of German pancakes.  And, they are DELICIOUS!

I {heart} Pop Up Pancakes!

Maybe because the word CAKE is in it?  I don't know, but oh they are mouthwatering.  Better yet, my kids LOVED them too!

The recipe is here and everything you will need to make them, you will more than likely have in your pantry.  So simple, so easy, so quick, and SO heavenly!

Give them a try (we had them for dinner) and let me know what YOU think!