Homemade Play Doh Craft Recipe

Homemade Play Doh Craft Recipe

My kids love Play Doh, but at the rate at which they seem to dry it out, it gets ridiculous constantly purchasing it. This recipe makes more than your standard little cup of Play Doh, and you can customize it to the shade you want. This is a great recipe to have on hand when you want to do something and getting out of the house isn’t an option. It would also make a great gift for a little creative tyke.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tspn cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients
Add water and oil slowly, mixing all lumps out well
Microwave mixture for 1 minute then stir VERY well, repeat until there are no sticky spots
Cool
Knead well, store in zip lock bag, or air tight container

Lasts about 3 weeks.

Hint: Add a few drops of food coloring for different colors!

Biscuit Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

Biscuit Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

Maybe I am just a big kid at heart, but this is one recipe that I love. For one, its much easier to use biscuits than mixing, and rolling out a dough, and for two, I can make it much more quickly. I tend to stick with just cheese and pepperoni as my toppings, but you can use anything you wish.

Ingredients:
1 can biscuits
1/2 jar pizza sauce
Pepperoni slices (or other toppings)
Shredded cheese

Directions:
Spray a round pie pan with nonstick cooking spray
Break each biscuit into 3 pieces and lay on pan
When all biscuits are broken and in the pan, squish the broken biscuits together to make a dough
Spread dough with pizza sauce, top with pepperoni, or other toppings, and cheese
Bake at 350* until biscuits are fluffy and cheese is melted

 

*For a larger pizza, use a large can of flaky biscuits and a 9x13 pan, adjusting the amount of sauce needed to cover the dough

Simple Buttercream Icing Recipe

Simple Buttercream Icing Recipe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
Add all ingredients into mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth

This is a great buttercream icing to make adorable monster cookies:

(Sandwich buttercream between two sugar cookies, roll edges in sprinkles and add eyes and noses (we used mini M&Ms for the eyes)

Beef Taco Skillet Dinner

Beef Taco Skillet Dinner

I’m a big fan of “skillet” dinners, but only if they taste good. Far too many skillet dishes are pre-packaged and just lack in taste. This recipe lacks nothing. The salsa gives it a nice taste that packaged skillet entrees cannot.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup water
6 flour tortillas, cut into small strips
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
Cook beef in a large skillet wit about 1/4 cup water, drain grease, and break up any large chunks of meat. Return to skillet
Stir in soup, salsa, water, and tortillas. Heat to a boil
Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Stir
Top with cheese

*To make this creamier, add in 1/2 cup sour cream with the soup

Three Ingredient Raziti Recipe – Freezer Meal

Three Ingredient Raziti Recipe – Freezer Meal

I’ve noticed that a lot of people who make freezer meals tend to make them in bulk. If you are making fancy dishes then it can be quite time consuming, but adding this one to the mix can give you more meals for less time. Its quick, and only has 3 ingredients. This is one of those meals where you can easily make more than one at a time.

Ingredients:
Rotini noodles
Spaghetti Sauce
Shredded Cheese

Directions:
Line an 8x8 pan with foil
Add noodles and sauce and top with cheese
Freeze, then remove foil "block" and freeze inside large ziplock bag* (Gallon size)
To cook, bake covered with foil at 350* for 30 minutes
Uncover, bake additional 30 minutes

*When freezing, be sure to label with cooking directions!

Grilled Banana split S’mores Camping Recipe

 

Grilled Banana split S'mores Camping Recipe

The first time I made this recipe I failed to see the “wrap in foil” part and my bananas were one huge mess. I certainly don’t recommend making the same mistake I did! This is a great Summer recipe, but can be made year round - just use the oven instead!

Ingredients:
6 bananas, in the skin
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
6 large graham crackers

Directions:
Set grill to medium heat, or use a campfire
Make a long slit in each banana from end to end, through the skin and down to, but not through, the skin on the other side. Gently open the banana. Divide chocolate chips and mini marshmallows among bananas, pressing with your fingers to fit as much as possible.
Wrap each banana in aluminum foil and place on center of grill or around perimeter of fire.
Cook 5 minutes, or until chips and marshmallows are melted and banana is warm.
Serve immediately with graham crackers for dipping

Pineapple Nut Delights Cookie Recipe

Pineapple Nut Delights Cookie Recipe

This is one of those cookie recipes that is so good, it is gone before the cookies go bad. They are a perfect combination of moist, sweet, and crunchy flavors.

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tspn vanilla
4 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup canned pineapple crushed
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt

Directions:
Mix together
Drop onto baking pan and bake at 350* for 10 minutes
Roll in powdered sugar to finish

Soft Baked Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Soft Baked Chocolate Cookies Recipe

These cookies bring back such good memories. Every time I see this recipe I instantly want to make them. For a person with a sweet tooth like mine, they are great. When cooked right, these cookies are pure perfection.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tspn vanilla
1 cup flour (self rising)
1/4 cup cocoa

Directions:
Cream butter
Add sugars and continue mixing
Add egg and vanilla, continue to mix well
Finally, add cocoa and flour
Mix well
Drop onto cookie sheet
Bake for 8 minutes at 350*

*The addition of chocolate chips makes these an ultimate chocolate chocolate chip cookie

Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe

Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe

I joke around that my middle child must have been switched at birth because he doesn't like cake. My entire family loves cake, except him... His birthday is tomorrow. Maybe I can convince him with this recipe ;)

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter
1 (4oz) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla extract
3/4 tspn salt
1 bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting (Recipe below)

Directions:
Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet
Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes or until toasted
Microwave 1 cup butter and semisweet chocolate in a large microwave safe glass bowl at HIGH for 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring evey 30 seconds
Whisk sugar and next 5 ingredients into chocolate mixture
Pour batter into a greased 15x10 jelly roll pan
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with miniature marshmallows, bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Drizzle warm cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 (16oz) package powdered sugar
1 tspn vanilla extract

Directions:
Stir together first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted.
Cook, stirring constantly 2 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat.
Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla and medium-high speed with hand held electric mixer until smooth.

*Recipe and image compliments of Southern Living

Lasagna Freezer Meal Recipe using No-Boil Noodles

Lasagna Freezer Meal Recipe using No-Boil Noodles

Italian food is one of our favorites. Italian food without all the prep is even better! This freezer meal can be served immediately, or frozen and served later making prep time nearly non-existent. I recommend making multiple pans of this to have on hand.

Ingredients:
No boil noodles
1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Spaghetti Sauce
Shredded cheese
Ground Meat
Onion

Directions:
Brown meat and sauté onion
Mix all ingredients except noodles
Layer like traditional lasagna, layering noodles and the mixture. Top with shredded cheese
Wrap in foil, freeze
Bake 20-40 covered at 350*
Uncover, bake some additional minutes to finish. Baking time varies on size of dish used

Hint: Use disposable 8x8 pans and make multiple batches at once to freeze more than one!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
4 ounces chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 cup buttermilk
2 tspn vanilla extract

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease two 12-cup muffin tins, or line with papers
For the cupcakes, Combine peanut butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Using a mixer at medium speed, beat until light and fluffy.
Whish flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Combine butter and granulated sugar in mixing bowl. usinga mixer at medium speed, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Pour in melted chocolate and beat until thoroughly combined
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture and beat to combine. Add vanilla and mix well.
Fill muffin tins half full with batter. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter mixture on top of batter, but do not spread it.
Spoon remaining batter over peanut butter.
Bake 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched. (Due to the filling, toothpick inserted will not work)
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese, butter and peanut butter in a bowl. Using a mixer at medium speed, beat until creamy. Add powdered sugar, beat until light and fluffy.
Frost tops of cupcakes when they are completely cook.

*Image and recipe obtained from some forgotten place :(

Easy Mexican inspired Appetizer Recipe

-=- Easy Mexican inspired Appetizer Recipe -=-

Ingredients:

“Scoop” chips

1 Jar Salsa

Cilantro for garnishing

Directions:

Spoon salsa into chips, and arrange on platter. Garnish with cilantro.

I served these chips at my daughter’s birthday party and they were a huge hit. I recommend supplying 3-4 chips for each guest with some kept as backup!

Pesto Poppers using Crescent Rolls Recipe

Pesto Poppers using Crescent Rolls Recipe

While this is my cooking blog, it certainly isn’t one of those fancy ones ;) I like to keep recipes that are easy, kid friendly, and don’t break the food budget on one meal. This is one of those recipes. It has very few ingredients and can be made with different ingredients for a more personal taste. It’s even kid friendly; let them help you make this one!

Ingredients:
Pesto sauce
Pepperoni
Crescent Rolls
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
Unroll crescent rolls and cover one side with pesto sauce
Top with pepperoni and cheese, and roll up.
Bake at 350* for 10-18 minutes or until done

*These are great as an appetizer, or served with a pasta dish.