Sweet potato and kale pizza

Oh my god, you guys. I'm not even joking around when I say this but I think I've found my new healthy guilty pleasure. It's not a sweet--which I crave constantly--but it's a fill 'er up kind of meal and that can be just as pleasurable on those diet days when you feel like all you've eaten is grass.

I've been on the Advocare 24 Day Challenge for 17 days now and I feel a little sad. A) Because I hate diets. B) because I thought I'd be pumped to be changing my eating habits when I'm not. And C) Because I'm afraid I'm just going to go back to my meals of all cheese and laffy taffy.

I know I'm just in a funk since I'm so near the end, though. The thing with Advocare is that I have to really watch what I eat. Der--like all diet plans. We've been trying to find new recipes online and I think Pinterest has come to my rescue! I actually want to find more tasty meals like the one we just ate for dinner because it was THAT good. And if I can find similar meals like these, I can use them as a "cheat" meal and not feel as guilty. #winning

So as I mentioned, I found a recipe on Pinterest for sweet potato and kale pizza. And it goes something like this. 

RECIPE | Sweet Banana Bites

One of my friends used to make this amazing treat and I just HAD to share it. I completely forgot about it until I saw something similar on Pinterest. So I just had to make it over the rainy weekend. It's another one of those snacks that's not the most healthy of treats, but it's way better than eating candy or cake. Mmm, cake.

It's super simple to make and you can adjust it how you like! If you want to add some nuts with your bananas, go for it. If you want to trade the cinnamon for brown sugar, be my guest :-)

INGREDIENTS

2-3 bananas
A drizzle of honey
A sprinkle of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the bananas and lay them flat on a baking sheet close together. Drizzle the honey lightly across each slice until they all have at least a little on top. Then sprinkle the cinnamon in the same fashion. Pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes. I couldn't remember how long to cook them myself. I started with 5 minutes but they didn't look "done" so I cooked them for another 5 minutes and they were perfection!

And you're finished!! I dare someone to tell me that this snack isn't DA BOMB! I like to munch on these to replace a craving for something worse like ice cream. Speaking of cold treats, these would be so good cold/frozen. Just an idea.

I'm linking up with That Hump Day Blog Hop, Random Wednesday, and Your Whims Wednesday.

Broccoli Straw Salad

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I've got another side salad that I wanted to share that I don't feel so guilty eating. Yes, it's probably still not the healthiest version of veggies I could be eating, but it sure as hell beats eating starchy foods like potatoes and corn. So that's a plus!

Here's what you need.

1 16oz package of broccoli straw salad (if you can't find that, broccoli cole slaw mix will work too)
2 3oz packages of chicken-flavored ramen noodles
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup of unsalted nuts (it calls for peanuts, but any will work in my opinion)
1 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of cider vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli straw salad, broken noodles, and green onions.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, and ramen seasoning packets. Pour over the salad and toss so that it's even coated. Put it in the fridge, covered, until it has chilled. Before serving, top with the nuts of choice and sunflower seeds.

Because ramen noodles is like eating a brick of salt, here's another alternative. Instead of buying ramen packages, you can buy chinese/chow mien noodles. Instead of using that seasoning packet, you can use sodium-free chicken bullion cubes. They still pack some sodium but it's WAY lower than the ramen noodle seasoning packages.

Look at it this way. Chicken flavored ramen noodles are 1660mg of sodium. Making it the alternative way can get it down to 150mg of sodium. HUGE DIFFERENCE!!

Recipe yields 10-12 people and if you find even more healthy alternatives or if things can be omitted to your liking, please me know. I love this stuff. It's one of those "light" salads that goes beautifully with grilled chicken. It's a definite Summer recipe for me.

I'm linking up with Random Wednesday, That Hump Day Blog Hop, Still Being Molly, Life of Meg, and Monday Morning Gossip. 

Spinach Orzo Salad

My parents recently made this Greek/Mediterranean-style orzo salad and I am in love with it! The ingredients aren't normally something I would consider a favorite of mine, but once they were combined, it was a huge hit. I think they got it from my Grammy and I know she's been passing it around with her church friends and family down in Florida.

So now it's my turn to share it with you.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

2+ cups bagged pre-washed baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup Greek salad dressing (recipe below)

1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomato halves, chopped

1 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

3oz+ feta cheese, crumbled

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Greek Dressing:

1 cup olive oil

2-3 Tbsp Greek seasoning (see below)

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

I had no idea where to find Greek seasoning at the store. Even the Publix worker couldn't find it. So I looked online and found a recipe with herbs from my pantry.

Optional Greek Seasoning:

1 1/2 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

1/2 tsp dried Basil

1/4 tsp dried Garlic, minced

I found that online here.

Additional Ingredients:

1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Kalamata olives, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Cook orzo according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix together the orzo, Greek dressing, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and green onions. Marinate for a few hours or overnight. (Or if you're out of time and forgot to marinate it, it's not the end of the world. It still tastes just as delicious!)

Just before serving, stir together the spinach, red bell pepper, cucumber (if you want) and feta cheese with the orzo mixture. Add more Greek dressing to your taste. Serve.

**For a different taste, use lemon-infused olive oil and omit the lemon juice. I actually forgot the lemon juice at the store, so whatevs.**

I love that this pasta works as a meal on its own. You could just as easily eat some grilled chicken or fish with it if you like. I also love that, to me, it can work in both chilly and warmer seasons.

I will say that the spinach leaves can get soggy in the oil when you're eating the leftovers, but that's okay because you can add more!!

I'm linking up with Random Wednesday, That Hump Day Blog Hop, Your Whims Wednesday, and I Feel Pretty.

Blueberry Banana Pie

In honor of my dad's birthday today, I wanted to share this recipe of a pie that changed my life. Dad made it one night--not really sure when...maybe when I was still living at home two years ago--and I've made it so much that I don't even need to look at the instructions anymore. It was fate that he found the recipe and made it because I've passed it on to SO many people.

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Sorry, I've been out with throat crap all weekend, so I haven't taken any pictures of my own pies. This is exactly what it look like, though.

Ingredients:

• Two graham cracker pie crusts
• 3 - 4 bananas
• 1 8oz package cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 small carton of blueberries/1 can of blueberry pie filling
• 1 12-15oz tub of cool whip

Directions:

• Cream cheese takes about 1 hour to thaw. As soon as it feels soft enough, mix it with the sugar and cool whip in a bowl. Stirring by hand will take DAYS, so break out your hand mixer.
• Slice the bananas and place in the bottom of the pie crusts until it covers the entire diameter.
• Once you feel the mixture from above is nice and smooth, pour it over each pie crust. The mixture is supposed to cover both.
• Top both pies with your choice of blueberries. I love the "crunch" from the fresh blueberries!
• Cover the finished pies with the plastic lids and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Yields two pies.

I'm telling you, if you're hesitant to make this stuff, JUST TAKE THE LEAP AND DO IT!! It's amaze-balls. My holidays are always packed with rich foods and the last thing I want is more rich desserts. This pie is light, sweet, and my figurative cherry on top of Christmas dinner. Although, I don't think we've ever made it during the holidays...

Do you have a favorite dessert that you always make during the holiday season? Or do you have a recipe that you've always eaten during the holidays and  have been dying to try out yourself?? Comment below and let me know :-)

Most importantly about today.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!!

I'm linking up with Your Beauty Fix and My Thrifty Chic.

Halloween bark

I'm ready to kick this Monday off with a bang! And what better way to do that than to let my inner fat kid out with a Halloween treat? One thing I've learned is that we ALL have an inner fat kid whether you want to admit it or not. And we may not want to over-indulge now that the holidays are upon us, but this treat doesn't seem to be the junkiest of the junk out there.

I got this recipe from Pinterest (no surprise there) and the blogger called it "Salted Caramel Candy Corn Bark" but she used Halloween-colored M&Ms. You can find her recipe here.

This is what I did.

INGREDIENTS

1 bag of waffle-shaped pretzels (I didn't use the whole bag, just however many fill up a baking pan.)
1 pkg of vanilla bark or candy coating (Kroger sells the candy coating in a microwavable container.)
1 pkg caramel bits (I could not find the bits--I think only certain stores sell them--but caramel candies               still work. It just takes a little longer to unwrap each one.)
1 bag of candy corn (I bought the variety bag--chocolate and regular candy corn as well as pumpkins--             and the regular bag so I would have extra to munch on.)

DIRECTIONS

Place your baking pan/cookie sheet on the counter and line it with wax paper. Line up the waffle pretzels to cover the entire space. Melt the caramel bits/pieces in a bowl and either spoon it over the pretzels or just pour it over. Since the caramel doesn't exactly "liquify" like other melted things, spooning it over the pretzels is a little more effective. Let that sit for about 5 minutes. Next, melt your vanilla bark and pour it over the entire thing. Pouring is fine in this instance. Let the bark sit for around one minute and then start placing the candy corn in random spots. You are more than welcome to add whatever kind of candy you want. After you have finished your masterpiece, put the pan in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. After the time has passed, remove the pan and begin pulling the now solid piece of bark from the wax paper and break it into pieces. I had problems with this. The caramel and wax paper were new enemies and it took a little more effort than I would have liked to separate the two. I even had to throw away a few pieces because I was not going to spend 15 minutes picking off each little piece.

The blogger broke down these steps with a few pictures. 

Iiii ended up with a picture of the aftermath and only a few pieces left. Either way, I'm definitely making this with like EVERY holiday.

What holiday goodies are you planning on making this year??

Oh, Labor Day!

As we all know, after Labor Day hits us Monday it will officially be Fall. Or at least that's how my book sees it. I've written about a couple of Fall things on the blog but I keep doing a 180 because I just can't give up Summer yet. It's funny how when it's cold, we can't wait for warm weather. And when it's hot, we can't wait for cooler weather. The weather just needs to be a breezy 70 degrees all year long.

Aaaaah....

Labor Day was designed to make tribute to all of the worker's in the country who have made and are continuing to make our country great. I mean, we always have room for improvement but let's all relax on the extended weekend. I've got some yummy Summer cocktails that I wanted to share while I still can and not get strange looks with an umbrella in my cup. This one's for you and you and... ALL OF US!

long island iced tea (with a twist)

1 oz vodka

1 oz rum

1 oz gin

1 oz tequila

1 oz triple sec

1 1/2 oz sweet and sour mix

1 oz raspberry liquor

Pour all ingredients over ice and shake several times until mixed. Garnish with a lemon or lime.

LIITs normally call for Cola which gives the drink its' tea-like flavor, but the twist to this recipe is the raspberry liquor! I don't think I've experienced anything with raspberry in it that I didn't like so I am definitely pulling it out again this holiday weekend.

very fruity rum punch

1 1/2 cup rum

1/3 cup banana liquor

1 dash grenadine syrup

1 6oz can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 6oz can frozen pineapple concentrate

1 orange, sliced into rounds

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1 lime, sliced into rounds

In a large punch bowl, prepare the juice concentrates according to can directions. Pour over all of the alcohols. Float the fruit slices at the top. Voila!

I'm a sucker for fruity alcoholic drinks. You caught me. Once I find one that I love, I become addicted pretty quickly. If you're like me then I know you'll fall head over heels just as much as I did.

I thought about telling you about the infamous Summer drink Beergaritas but we all know how to make those. So sit back and enjoy your three day weekends! I'm sure you'll probably find a good sale or two as well so indulge a little. Make one of your last Summer hoorahs worth it!!

Oreo Balls

My friend and co-worker told me about this recipe for oreo balls a while ago and I wanted to share it with you! If these things have ever hit your mouth, then you know how freaking delicious they are. In my opinion they taste just like cake balls but take half the time to make. AND there are only three ingredients.

WHAT YOU NEED

1 pkg of Oreos (any can work--golden, birthday cake, strawberry ice cream, mint, etc)
1 8oz pkg of Cream Cheese
1 lb of Chocolate (we like to do the opposite...chocolate oreos with white chocolate or golden oreos with dark chocolate, so buy either kind)

HOW TO PREPARE

There is probably an official way to crush up oreos. I think the recipe calls to throw a few at a time into a blender to crush them. But I don't want to jack ours up so we just pour all of the oreos into a gallon size plastic bag and crush them. You can either crush by stabbing it with a utensil of some sorts

or you can use a bottle of beer or liquor that might be sitting around the kitchen. Now everyone knows I don't own a rolling pin. Eek. 

Once they have been crushed to your desired crushed-level, turn the bag inside out and scrap off all that you can into a bowl. Combine these with the cream cheese. It is probably easier to use a hand mixer to get these to stick together but it's just as effective to squish it with your hands. 

Pull out a baking dish and cover it with a piece of parchment paper. Form this mixture into bite-sized balls and place on the sheet. Place it in the freezer and leave for about fifteen to thirty minutes. This allows the balls to harden just a touch so that when they are drizzled with chocolate in the next step, they won't fall apart.

If you can tell from the above pictures, in the top right corner is a picture of this baking chocolate that you can find at your grocery store. It comes in a microwaveable tray. 

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I don't know if we are just the ones who haven't see this, but I thought it was pretty genius. You microwave the chocolate for one minute and stir. If it is still not a creamy texture, microwave it at fifteen minute intervals. I only had to heat it up for that initial minute and I was able to use it for all of my Oreo balls.

After every ball has been coated with the chocolate, I would suggest keeping it in the fridge until it's time to eat them. They'll be fine if left out, but I personally like them when they're not falling apart so easily.

ADDITIONAL INFO

If you have an upcoming baby shower, you can add food coloring to the cookie crumbles and cream cheese mixture to match. And if you have a Vegan friend, you can substitute the cream cheese for tofu cream cheese. It tastes just the same once it's mixed with everything else.

And there you have it!! A super easy recipe for Oreo balls!!

Happy National Tequila Day

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If anything besides holidays are marked on my calendar, it's this. In all its' glory, National Tequila Day is something I look forward to a) because it gives me an excuse to drink, and b) because I can make margaritas up the wazoo and I won't be considered an alcoholic--okay, maybe that does make me look like one just a little. Too bad it's in the smack-dab middle of the week, but what can you do? In honor of this day, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite drink recipes involving tequila.

But first, here are some interesting facts about tequila that you might not have known.

1. During the flu epidemic of 1918, physicians were telling patients to drink tequila to ail their sickness. It led to a huge tequila boom in Mexico.

2. The world record holder for the biggest margarita was in Orlando, FL at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. The glass held 5,861 gallons of blended liquors.

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3. Jose Cuervo was a real person.

4. Scientists can turn tequila vapors into diamonds. Wowza!

5. The Smithsonian has the world's first frozen margarita machine.

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And now to some recipes!!

INCOMMUNICADO

(This is a recipe from Margaritaville's drink recipe site and it's a combination of liquor, but I had to share this one! It's tasty and will get you tipsy pretty quickly.)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 oz Vodka

1/2 oz Silver Tequila

1/2 oz Rum

1/2 oz Triple Sec

1/4 Gin

1/4 Grenadine

1 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Cranberry Juice

1 1/2 oz Margaritavilla Margarita Mix

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and shake, shake, shake. Pour in a margarita glass with ice or make it frozen.

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EASY FROZEN MARGARITA

(This is the easiest and probably my go-to drink with tequila--unless of course I'm shooting it instead.)

INGREDIENTS:

1 can frozen limeade concentrate (This concentrate can be any flavor you choose)

12-15 oz of tequila

Ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients inside a blender until the ice is smooth. Pour in a margarita glass and enjoy!

This next one I haven't actually tried but by the name of it, I'm really curious to see how it tastes. Let's try this one together!!

CUCUMBER JALAPENO MARGARITA

(Courtesy of Michael Symon)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 cup White Tequila

1/4 cup Orange Liquor

1/4 cup Simple Syrup (optional)

4 thin Slices of Cucumber

1 Jalapeno, halved lengthwise

Ice

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher except for the ice. Chill for at least an hour. This act will bring more flavors of the cucumber and jalapeno out the longer it sits. Pour over ice and serve with salt if desired.

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Since Hump-Day doesn't always call for margarita making, we can at least all raise our shot glasses and say...

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Everyone drink responsibly, and

HAPPY NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY!!!

Homemade Chunky PB Ice Cream

As said by the iconic Temptations, "Get ready cuz here I come". I promised a recipe for home made chunky peanut butter ice cream and I'm here to deliver! Once you try this and believe that my mom is the most amazing person on the planet for coming up with it, you'll be sharing this with your friends and family. I remember growing up in Chattanooga and watching the fireworks at Camp Jordan from our front porch. Every year we had herds of church family gather on blankets in the front yard and beg my mom to continue making more ice cream because one mug or bowl full just wasn't enough.

This is the simple way to make it.

Combine 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of half and half, 1/2 cup of sugar, 3/4 tsp. of vanilla extract, 1 pinch of salt, and a half cup of chunky peanut butter. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Then all you gotta do is freeze according to the ice cream freezer directions...usually about 45 minutes to one hour. It will make 1 quart.

The way my mom makes it is a little more complicated because it involves an ice cream maker. And we all know that adding rock salt to the thing isn't always something you want to be spending your evening doing. But if you've worked with them before, it's probably like second nature.

My mom has made the ice cream both this way and by using the ice cream machine. If it were me because I'm lazy I'd make it by just combining, stirring and freezing all the ingredients. They taste the exact same way no matter how it's made.

Grilling foods can be prepared in time for the holiday but often times the dessert is forgotten about. So if you're in a rush and need something that's not your typical brownies or cookies, consider making this chunky peanut butter ice cream. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised! My husband likes to experiment with it and add Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Butterfingers. Play with it.

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Who really eats their ice cream in a condiment container? It was a cute picture anyway.

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Aah. A bowl...now that's more like it.

Apple Turkey Melt

I am a sucker for a good grilled cheese sandwich. It's probably because my inner fat kid cries out in pure ecstasy every time cheese enters my mouth. Is that bad?? When I still lived at home, my mom tweaked the traditional recipe and turned it into a grilled turkey sandwich, mayo included. I'm sure everyone has heard of this, but she added mayo (not to be confused with Miracle Whip...yuck!) to the inside of the bread slices with a pile of turkey and cheese in the middle. It was to die for! If you're thinking about going vegetarian like I am, there are turkey alternatives out there.

Back in the Fall, I had been experimenting with apples in several recipes. I'm always hesitant to mix sweet things with any meats but I remembered having this apple and sausage pizza from Panera back in the day, and it was so yummy, so I wanted to just see what I could come up with.

I'm going to call this my "Apple Turkey Melt" and here's how you make it.

NEEDED INGREDIENTS:

Bread
Spreadable Butter
Spicy Mustard
Slices of Turkey Meat
Apples
Slices of Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare griddle by heating at medium heat.

2. Butter only the outside of each slice of bread. I made four sandwiches so I will be buttering eight slices. I only start by buttering four and laying them on the griddle.

3. Grab a skinny silicone spatula and spread the grainy mustard on the four pieces of bread.

4. Add as much turkey meat as you would like. I like mine to be a little thicker so I'll add more.

5. Add enough apple slices to fill to whole space of the bread.

6. Add one or two slices of cheese next.

7. Grab your spatula again and spread more mustard to the remaining four slices of bread. Lay those on top of the cheese that was just placed.

8. Lastly, wash your spatula and use it to spread butter on the outside of the bread.

9. Cook like a normal grilled cheese. Flip times vary from different appliances. It will be easier to flip if you leave it a little longer; the middle parts will be more stuck together.

Another simple recipe that I recommend you all to try!! ENJOY :-)

Shots of "sexual frustration"

My girlfriends and I went out last night and we were celebrating the fact that one of the girls was no longer pregnant. So let's all go out and get shit-faced!! The bar we went to offers free beer until 11 pm but I cannot stand the stuff so I'm a liquor kind of girl. My drink of choice is usually a cranberry and vodka. Or if I'm feeling a little daring, I'll get a pineapple and vodka. At one point in the night, one of the other girls came back from the bar with this massive shot of something that looked like, honestly, really dirty pee. She was going on and on about how good it was. I smelled it and judging by that, I knew it'd be amazing. I immediately got up from my chair and went to get one for myself.

I want to take a second and complain about how much liquor costs at bars. They just all need to follow the rules of strip clubs and let us bring in our own liquor. That would be much better on all of our wallets. Sheesh.

Anywho. This shot that we got was called Sexual Frustration. I'm not really sure where the name came from but it's a fun name, none the less. It makes me think of Nars Cosmetic names like Orgasm or Foreplay. I have been searching all day online for the recipe because I want all of you to find as much joy it in as I did last night. And I think I might have found it. I'm not sure how many shots it makes but I'm sure you can figure that out once you make it at home.


INGREDIENTS:

1 shot 99 Bananas
1 shot Coconut Rum
1 shot Watermelon Pucker
3 shots Cranberry Juice
3 shots Pineapple Juice

Five ingredients. Simple as that.

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(This isn't the real picture. I just needed one so I could link it with my Pinterest board.)

It's fun to go out with the girls and get crazy every once in a while. You can let loose more so than with anyone else. Just be careful. Don't drink and drive, mm'kay?

Cookie Dough Dip

I've got another sweet recipe for you. Literally. The last dessert recipe I posted was for mini s'mores. Since then, I've had a couple of friends ask if I had any other recipes up my sleeve and I do, I do!!

Cookie Dough Dip

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INGREDIENTS

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup toffee bits

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix together cream cheese and butter.
• Add all remaining ingredients and mix until well-combined.
• Serve with graham crackers or apple wedges.

Extra Notes

• Do not use reduced/no fat cream cheese. It will probably give you the wrong consistency needed for the dip.
• The best apples to use with this dip is Granny Smith apples.

Substitutions

• You can substitute chocolate chips for white chocolate, butterscotch, etc.
• You can substitute toffee bits for butterfinger chocolates heath bar pieces, etc.
• You can substitute graham crackers for chocolate graham crackers.

ENJOY!!!

Star Spangle Hammered

What's America's favorite thing to do on this special holiday most holidays?? We all LOVE to get hammered. If America isn't doing one thing or another, you can probably find us drinking. Eh, it's not something to be bragging about (trust me, I'm not bragging) but it is something we're good at.

I wanted to share a few quick ideas for your Independence bash that would be sure to bring a good time.

1 The first is....an alcoholic drink, any alcoholic drink. Just think in terms of red, white, and blue to keep up with your holiday theme. Rather than showing you three different drinks, I found one that I'm actually going to try this year.

My husband and I aren't much into beer. Don't tell me we're not American. Yada yada. We've heard it before. BUT, I found this recipe that looks so tempting and I can't just not try it. The recipe is pretty much BEER + SNOW CONES. Tell me that isn't a genius idea?!!

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Betty Crocker's website tells us that all you need is 2 12oz bottles or cans of beer, chilled, and syrup (I'll show you those recipes below). Pour the beer into a 9 in. glass baking dish and freeze for 45 minutes. Ice crystals should form around the edges and once you see that, begin gently mixing it with a fork. Freeze for another 3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so. By that point it should be a granita texture (semi-frozen). Now they are ready to serve!

For the syrups, here are three flavors that could stand in your holiday theme.

Red Raspberry-Lemon Syrup: In a 1 qt. saucepan, mix 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Remove the peel of the lemon and add those peels to the saucepan. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and add that and 1 cup of fresh or frozen red raspberries to the pan. Heat all of that to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove it from the heat and set aside to cool for about an hour. Strain the syrup into a jar and throw away the junk that was left over. Cover the jar and stick it in the fridge until you need it. 

Blueberry-Lime Syrup: This will have the same process except you'll replace the raspberries with blueberries and the lemon with a lime.

Orange Syrup: This will also have the same process except that when it comes time to squeeze the fruit juice (like with the lemon and lime), you'll squeeze juice from 6 medium oranges.

Pour these flavored syrups over the beer ice mentioned above. The syrups stay good for two weeks. And since we're not proficient in the beer world, I'm sure there are certain ones that taste better than others so you can learn each time you make these.

2 The second is alcohol-soaked (or not), star-shaped watermelon bites on a stick.

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This is super easy. Cut your watermelon in slices. Use a star shaped cookie cutter and punch the watermelon slice as many times as it will give you the shape. If you have a mini melon baller, you can use it in the middle of the watermelon star. I found it easy to just push my finger through it and was able to get the blueberry to stick. The blueberries are optional so it's up to you if you want to add any more flavor. And if you want to get really festive, purchase striped lollipop sticks and you won't have to get your hands dirty. But to me, I love watermelon and I don't think I'm going to be so delicate when it's time to eat them. I would rather have the stars on a plate and I'll just dig in as soon as I see them!

For adults ONLY: I had a friend that soaked fruit in vodka last summer and it was to die for! You just need to prep a little differently if you choose to do this. Before you cut the slices, cut a small circle from the top of the watermelon and pull it out. Gradually pour a 12.6 oz bottle of vodka inside the watermelon. If it seems that it will overflow, wait, because the fruit will soak it in. The entire bottle needs to be emptied. After this has been done, plug the watermelon back up with that piece you cut out and cover the whole thing with foil or plastic or whatever you have handy. It could take up to two days to properly soak. After this has been completed, you can now follow the steps from above and cut your watermelon into star shapes.

3 The third is a red,white, and blue trifle in mason jars.

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And without getting too fancy, I'll keep this one simple. You can use angel food cake for the bottom layer, blueberries or blackberries on the next layer, whipped cream on the next, and raspberries or strawberries on the next. Keep layering until you reach the top of your bowl. Top it with whipped cream and a couple of the fruits used. To make it even more moist, you could put vanilla pudding in layers of this trifle and only use whipped cream on top. You can make them in mason jars or just whatever you have around the house. This is a light and not very fattening treat to have during your Independence celebration. 

To make it adult-friendly, just soak your angel food cake in a liquor that was sweeter like rum. And you don't need any prep time for soaking. It can be done as the trifle is being put together.

I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July. Go out and celebrate our freedom with your family. And why no get star spangled hammered?!!!

Summertime smoo--JELLO SHOTS!

Summer time smoothies can have quite the relaxing effect. There's something about them that makes me want to swing on the front porch or lay out in the backyard on a blanket reading my favorite book. Now I'm all about relaxing during these summer months but who am I kidding?! Summer months are also about going out and partying while the weather is still gorgeous. I'm going to tell you about a jello shot recipe!!

I found this recipe on Pinterest and the person that put those combinations together made some tasty jello shots. I'll tell you a few of theirs as well as some that we made up. The good thing about jello shots is that they aren't packed with liquor. Sure, you can definitely tell that it's in there but you could have several and not get chocolate-wasted as fast as you would with regular shots.

You will need to purchase any flavor jello in the 3 oz. boxes. This blogger mentions buying the plastic condiment cups with lids but excuse my language you have to finger them to loosen the jello from the cup. We found it is MUCH easier to buy the paper cups with no lids. That way when the jello has hardened and they are ready to eat, you can just squish the cups and the jello will just pop into your mouth.

Basic Jello Shots
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup flavored liquor
1 small box jello (3 oz.)

Here is where you can start experimenting with different flavors. Just follow the measurement directions from the basic jello shots. They make about 20 shots per small jello box.

Dreamsicle
Orange jello
Whipped cream or vanilla flavored vodka
Triple sec

Jolly Rancher
Melon jello
Vodka
Apple pucker

Blue Firecracker
Berry blue jello
Vodka
Peach schnapps
Drop in a maraschino cherry with stem (it's the wick for your firecracker)

These were our three favorite but here are a couple of others you could try. I would say if you are looking for several flavors to make, find ones that have the same ingredients so that you don't have to buy every single liquor in the store.

Purple People Eater
Grape jello
Vodka
Watermelon pucker

Banana Nirvana
Strawberry banana jello
Vodka
Peach schnapps

Tequila Sunrise
Orange jello
Tequila
Triple sec and grenadine

There are plenty of other ways to make these jello shots. You could save a tree and pour the shots inside a cored strawberry. Just google it. You'd be amazed at how many ways you could make these jello shots.

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Or you could make them in fun ice cube trays!!

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Now I do have a few smoothie recipes up my sleeve. So if jello shots aren't your thing, stay tuned because I'll share some of my favorites next time.

101 Things to do with Ramon Noodles

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Before you write me off for my love affair with Ramen Noodles, hear me out. Raise your hand if you would rather spend your time doing something other than cooking. Raises hand. And raise your hand if in those moments you do need to cook, a big meal would leave you with no time left in the night. Raises hand again. Jerry rides the train to and from Nashville and we don't get home until 6:15ish. We have to get him at the station in the mornings by 7:07 so we can't use a crockpot meals and it's hard to cook a well-balanced meal after 6:15 when we really should be finished with dinner by 6:30 or 7 pm.

I started this affair in college. And in college, lazy became my primary trait. I'm such a winner. I'm sure that 95% of our American population has eaten Ramen Noodles at least once in their lives. They're salty, have lots and lots of noodles, and are the perfect food when you're high. I promise I've never been high. 

One of my stocking gifts for Christmas a few years ago was this book above, "101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles", and it has some pretty creative ideas to mix up what you're used to knowing about them. So whether you're high, hungry, lazy or whatever, find this book and try the recipes.

Toni Patrick breaks up the book in several sections. Here is a list of some of my favorites.

1. RAMEN BURGERS
     1 pkg. beef ramen noodles, with seasoning packet
     1 lb. ground beef
     1 egg
     Hamburger buns
     Condiments
Cook noodles 1 1/2 minutes and drain. Add beef, egg, and 1/2 of the seasoning packet. Mix well and form into four patties. Grill or cook 5 minutes per side, or until done. Serve with the usual hamburger fixings. Makes 4 hamburgers.

2. RAMEN FAJITAS
     2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
     1 1/2 cups sliced onion
     1 cup sliced red or green bell peppers
     2 cups salsa
     2 pkgs. ramen noodles, any flavor
     1/2 cup sour cream
In a frying pan, brown chicken until done. Add onion, peppers, and salsa and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Cook noodles in water according to package directions and drain. Serve chicken mixture over warm noodles and top with sour cream. Makes 2 servings.

3. TWICE-BAKED TUNA CASSEROLE
     2 pkgs. ramen noodles, any flavor, with seasoning packets
     2 cans tuna, drained
     1 cup cheese
     1/2 cup chopped onion
     1 cup crushed potato chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles in water according to package directions and drain. Season with 1 seasoning packet. Mix tuna, cheese, onion, and noodles together in a small casserole dish and bake 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle chips over top and bake 15 more minutes. Makes 2-4 servings.

4. MEATY SPAGHETTI
     2 pkgs. ramen noodles, any flavor
     1 to 2 cups spaghetti sauce
     1 lb. ground beef or sausage, browned and drained
     Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook noodles in water according to package directions and drain. In a saucepan, heat sauce and cooked beef over medium heat 3-5 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon sauce over warm noodles and then sprinkle with cheese. Makes 2-4 servings.

Like the title mentions, there are 101 things to do with ramen noodles. These were just some that we loved. Are there any maybe-not-so-good foods that you want to try with other ingredients? Or has this post sparked some ideas in your head? Share those with me and we can share the recipes together!!

It's like crack--CHICKEN DIP

A week has passed since the recipe I posted about the mini s'mores and I promised I would follow up with the chicken dip recipe. You know how Wal-Mart has these itty bitty shelves on a pole like in the middle of the produce section with recipe cards stacked neatly? Welp, this recipe came from that shelf and I could not have been happier after I stuffed the first heaping bite in my mouth. This chicken dip was the shit and I don't know how they do it! It has a total of five ingredients and if I didn't already know, I would've thought there was crack inside. Not that I know what crack is like. Crack is whack, kids. I'll quit trying to build you up to its' awesomeness and just give you the recipe. Try it and tell me what you think!!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

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Ingredients:

• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of Ranch salad dressing
• 1/2 cup of Frank's REDHOT Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 2 cans (12.5 oz. each) chunk breast of chicken, drained
• 1/2 crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350 degrees. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.

MIX in salad dressing, wing sauce, and cheese. Stir in chicken.

BAKE 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired.

SERVE with crackers or vegetables.

Disclaimer:

It takes about 1 hour for cream cheese to soften on its own. If you forget, no big deal, just put it in a bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between if needed. It needs to be creamy. The last thing you want is to be eating this dip and one bite is all cream cheese. Barf.

If you are not a fan of Ranch dressing, like my husband, you can use Blue Cheese dressing.

The Buffalo Wing sauce can be substituted for any sauce you like. If you have your favorite BBQ sauce in the fridge, by all means, use that!

Frank's REDHOT sauce also comes in Original Cayenne Pepper sauce, Ketchup-style hot sauce, Extra Hot Cayenne Pepper sauce, Kickin' BBQ sauce (our personal favorite), Sweet Chili sauce (our second favorite), and Chile n' Lime sauce.

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Print Frank's REDHOT Chicken Dip recipe.

Mini S'mores

It's time to mix it up! I'd love to have every single post about makeup but, let's get real, it would probably get boring. And predictable. Yawn. So today I'm going to post a recipe for a dessert that I was just introduced to about two weeks ago--mini s'mores. It's not even 8 am yet and my stomach is excited in the anticipation. I think I might even throw in my recipe for chicken dip. Plain ole' chicken dip? you say. I thought the same thing, but it has got to be the BEST I have ever had. It even surpasses my love for cheese dip, salsa, and any other dips. The ingredients are super simple and all I ask is that you try both recipes at least once and come back and tell me that you're mind has been blown away.--EDIT. Now that I see how long this recipe actually is, I'll save the chicken dip for another time. Get pumped!!

Mini S'mores

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Ingredients:

• 7 whole graham crackers, finely crushed
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 bars milk chocolate candy
• 12 large marshmallows

You are going to be shocked at how easy these are to make.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. And in the mean time, place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush them into crumbs using a baker's roller. First, we bought the box of graham crackers that came in squares, not the typical rectangles. So I ended up taking out 14 squares for this recipe. I also didn't have a baker's roller so I just finely crushed them using a bottle of alcohol. I promise we're not alcoholics. We just keep lots of liquor at our house for parties. Combine crushed graham crackers, powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl.

Step 2: Using a small scoop, place a scant scoop of crumb mixture into each cup of a mini muffin pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with a mini-tart shaper. I didn't have a small scoop or a tart shaper so I just pressed them as best as I could. They just need to look like a bowl. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

Step 3: While the crust is in the oven, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. After the cups have finished, remove them from the oven and place one rectangle into each cup.

Step 4: Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using shears dipped in cold water. Don't ignore this! They will stick if you don't run the scissors through water with each cut. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return them to the oven for 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from the pan. Cool completely. I wasn't sure how to get these cups out of the mini muffin tin. I just ran a plastic knife along the edges and kind of popped it out, very gently so that they wouldn't fall apart.

Step 5: Break the remaining candy bars and place in a prep bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in the melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes to 1 hour or until set.

Yield: 24 cups

Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended. For a richer chocolate flavor substitute dark chocolate candy for the milk chocolate.

Print Pampered Chef Recipe