Food Network Version

When I got my May issue of Food Network Magazine, with the above picture on it, I knew I had to make it for the wedding shower I was hosting in May. I thought it looked pretty easy and so cute! My original plan was to make one for each of the six tables. My mom, however, talked me down to one for the food table instead.

I can't tell you how grateful I am that my mom talked me into only doing one. This was a lot more work than it looked like it would be. I ended up with everyone involved including my Dad and husband. It started easy enough with me making a batch of cupcakes and sticking the foam and dowel into the pot. Then I put in all these little toothpicks to hold cupcakes. You would not believe how hard it was to get toothpicks into a foam ball. Felt like it took forever and when I was done my Dad said, "you know the directions say to put three per cupcake." So now I had to go back and add two more toothpicks to everything I had done.

Once the cupcakes were cooled and frosted I started to load them onto the centerpiece. This was when I realized I didn't have even close to enough cupcakes so I stopped what I was doing to start another batch. I also ran out of frosting, go figure!

Now on to day two (because I lost my patience on day one) I continued loading cupcakes onto the toothpicks only to discover it was NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE to get them on and not mess up the frosting. At that point I abandoned the frosted ones and started loading the un-frosted ones and figured I would frost them afterwards.

I finally got the topiary covered in cupcakes and then...it tipped over! I was lucky enough to catch it. This is when I had to get my Dad involved again to make it stand back up.

I tried to frost all the little cupcakes but do you know how hard it is to frost an upside down cupcake and have the frosting stay put?? You can kind of tell from the picture that I had to just frost what I thought would be most noticeable.

I ended with a very heavy, very fragile, half decent looking cupcake centerpiece. I had to entrust my husband to carry it across the street to the shower and we shoved it in a corner so no one would see the back wasn't finished.

Next time I see something that looks "super easy" in a magazine I will give it some more thought before diving in. When real people do things they see in magazines it is never as easy as it looks.


My Version

We had the most wonderful weather this weekend. The sun finally came out after what feels like months of rain. I even got a little sun burned on my arms! I am just scared that by Tuesday it will all be a distant memory and we will be in rain again.

This week we have a few things that will make for an interesting dinner week. On Wednesday we are having a friend over for dinner, Friday we are hosting a couples wedding shower at our house, Saturday we are going to a graduation party, and Sunday is Father's Day so I am sure that it will be busy. With all that in mind here is what I am thinking for the week but no guarantees it will all play out.

Dinner

Monday: Mom and Dad

Tuesday: Fresh Pasta, Light Alfredo, salad or peas, watermelon

Wednesday: Chicken and Rice Casserole (I am thinking of adapting it for the crock pot. Any idea of what I need to do to make it work??), banana muffins, watermelon, salad. I should probably have a dessert too since we will be having company but we will see.

Thursday: Mexican Flautas, salad, Sweet Corn Tomalito (I have had this on my menu plan twice this month and have never had time to make it. Hopefully this will be my week).

Friday: Shredded Beef Tacos (freezer-this meal has to be quick and easy since we will be getting ready for a party).

Saturday: Graduation Party-If we eat dinner before we go it will be pesto pasta.

Sunday: Father's Day

Breakfast

Monday: Pumpkin Pancakes (these have been on my plan a lot lately because I am using up all the pumpkin in the freezer and we absolutely love them)

Tuesday: Banana Bread

Wednesday: Peanut Butter Granola

Thursday: Oatmeal

Friday: Pumpkin Pancakes

Have a great week!

See more menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

I mentioned that one of my favorite cookbooks is Quick Fix Meals by Robin Miller. My husband actually gave it to me for our first wedding anniversary because it was a paper gift. I thought it was cute that he knew what a traditional first anniversary gift was. I have tried many recipes from it and always love them.

Tonight I tried something new from the book, Apricot-Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles. It has been on my "to be tried" list for quite a long time. It was very spicy to me but still delicious. I never liked spicy food before I got married but somehow my husband has changed that.

I know many of you really wanted this recipe so here it is.

Apricot-Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles
by Robin Miller (with slight changes made by me)

12 Ounces Soba Noodles
1/2 Cup Sliced Pickled Jalapenos, drained
1/2 Cup Apricot Preserves
1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Scallions
2 Tablespoons Minced Pickled Ginger (we didn't have any so I left this out)

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions, then drain.

Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

In a blender or food processor, combine the jalapenos, apricot preserves, cilantro, salt, and pepper and process until smooth.

Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and top with the jalapeno mixture. At this point I marinated mine all day while I was at work. Robin says you can leave it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months just thaw completely before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Toss noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and ginger (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken over noodles.

A week ago we went to a downtown restaurant that is known for it's "Chicken and Waffles". I have always heard about this but have never given it a try. The chicken had a sweet glaze over it and the waffle seemed to have a light syrup taste. It was served with mustard on the side. Overall it was just OK. Nothing I would write home to Mom about but blog worthy because its so interesting! Does anyone have any good southern recipes like this that we should try?

This is a family favorite recipe that I come back to again and again. When I was in college I spent a semester in NYC and the meal I requested when I came home was this. I should also tell you that I hate leftovers but with this I am happy to eat away!

My husband is not a crab lover so I always mix tuna into his half which makes us both happy. I am sorry it is not a photogenic meal but it sure is good!



Crab Casserole

1 10 1/2 Ounce Can Cream of Mushroom
1/3 Cup Mayo
1/3 Cup Milk
Seafood to your liking (I use imitation crab because it is so much cheaper than real crab and canned tuna for my hubby. The original recipe calls for 6 oz shrimp and 7 oz crab)
2 Teaspoons Grated Onion
2 Cups Cooked Macaroni (You can use more or less it will just make the dish more or less creamy. I tend to use more because I like my pasta drier)
Paprika

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking mix together the cream of mushroom, mayo, milk, seafood, and onion. When pasta is done drain it and add to cream mixture. Put everything into a casserole dish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

Where do the weeks go? It seems like I am always sitting down to figure out a menu plan. We had a fantastic weekend spent at the beach. We even got a beautiful day of sunshine on Saturday which was a nice reprieve from the non stop rain we have been having.

At the beach we ate a wonderful meal of prime rib prepared on the Traeger Grill. We also had twice baked potatoes, salad, and corn bread. A prefect meal for our perfect relaxing day. It goes without saying that is was very hard to come home today.

My menu plan last week was 100% successful. That almost never happens so I am happy. I even got to the Crab Casserole I have had on my list for two weeks! I will post the recipe this week since I keep saying I will.

I hope this week is another success in the kitchen and I wish you all the same!!!

Dinner

Monday: Mom and Dad's!!

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Tacos ( I am using beef instead of pork), Mexican Corn Bread or Sweet Corn Tomalito, salad, fruit

Wednesday: Apricot Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles (recipe to come it is from one of my favorite cookbooks by Robin Miller), salad, fruit

Thursday: Pork Chops, applesauce, green beans, pumpkin dinner rolls

Friday: Something TBD but definitely on the grill because my hubby is dying to grill

Saturday: Turkey and Cheese Burritos, chips, fruit

Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner (probably waffles, eggs, and fruit)

Breakfast

Monday: Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Tuesday: Leftover Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Wednesday: Pumpkin Pancakes

Thursday: Banana Bread

Friday: Kashi Breakfast Bar

See more menu plans at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

As some of you know, I am getting married to Sheena's brother in a couple months! This picture is from the cake tasting for the wedding. We tried every single one and afterward we had a headache from all the sugar! The top left plate was from a cake shop, the right plate was all cupcakes from a bakery, and the little plate is cupcakes from another bakery. I liked the strawberry shortcake (top left plate, bottom left corner) and then the vanilla cupcake (bottom right). Honorable mention goes to the cookie cupcake (top right). Final decision will be the strawberry cake in a small 8 inch round for us and the wedding party and then the vanilla cupcakes for the guests. They will all have pink flowers on top and match the cake of course! It was all so much fun! More wedding things to come...

I love bread. I often judge a restaurant on how good the bread is. My husband knows that often times I will eat several pieces of bread and forget about the rest of my meal. I don't know why but to me there is nothing better than warm bread and butter.

For some time I have been reading on various blogs about Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a day. I wanted to try it and checked the book out at the library twice. I am not sure why but something was always holding me back. I think I was just scared because it was a much different process than I am used to with bread.

Then one Sunday evening for no apparent reason I just jumped in and did it. I followed the books Master Recipe and was delighted with how easy it was. The long directions made me fear it would be hard but there was nothing hard about it at all. I set the dough on the counter to rise like the book talks about and looked at it every so often with pride as it grew.

The next day I made my first loaf. All we could say was WOW. It was amazing. A nice crusty exterior with a soft airy center. We ended up eating the whole loaf between the two of us (mental note do not make this daily if I want to wear any of my summer clothes).

If you have been holding back on trying this style of bread making don't wait any longer! It is not hard and the little work you put into it gives great results. I ended up liking it so much I ordered the book so I wouldn't have to end my bread making when the library wanted their copy back.



The Master Recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

3 Cups Lukewarm Water
1 1/2 Tablespoons Granulated Yeast
1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
6 1/2 Cups Unsifted, Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour

Warm the water slightly, about 100 degrees. Add yeast and salt to the water in the bowl of your mixer. Mix in the flour all at once with the dough hook of your mixer. You're finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. Put the dough in a 5 quart bowl with a lid (not airtight). Allow mixture to rise at room temperature for 2 hours. After the rising put the container with the dough in the fridge to use as you like for the next 14 days.

On Baking Day
Pull a grapefruit sized portion out of the 5 quart container. Gently stretch the dough around to the bottom to create a ball. Let the loaf rise on a pizza peel generously (yes generously-I didn't use enough the first time and I almost couldn't get it to come off) coated with cornmeal for 40 minutes.

Twenty minutes before baking preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the lowest rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holing water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

When bread is done rising dust the top with flour and slash using a knife across the top. After 20 minutes of preheat you are ready to bake even if your oven isn't up to temperature. Slide dough off pizza peel onto baking stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and close the oven to trap steam.

Bake for 30 minutes. Try to wait for it to cool to eat :)

While walking around on my lunch break at a local mall I happened to walk by these cute little creatures. They are chocolate truffles and they are oh so adorable! One is a white chocolate cat and the other is a dark chocolate lady bug. They are from a company called Moonstruck Chocolatier. Click here for their website and to see better pictures! Great gift idea...or possibly an idea for a home project?? Any takers?? Sheena?? : )

I know quite the long title right?? This meal started out as me trying to be creative and use stuff we had in the house already. I had a big tub of spinach from Costco that was just past its prime and needed to be cooked. I wanted something original to use it in and realized I have never made a Calzone before. This ended up being super yummy and much easier than I expected.

There were two things I did to make it extra easy . The first was I used pizza dough I made earlier and had in the freezer. I also used my homemade pesto that I have in the freezer. I just LOVE the freezer! It helps make my dinners come together so much easier.



Spinach Pesto Sausage Calzone

1 Recipe Pizza Dough
Cooked Spinach (amount to your liking)
1/2 Cup Pesto
2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Pound Cooked Sausage
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt

On a lightly floured counter roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the dough with pesto leaving a 1 inch border along the edges. Pile in the rest of your filing (spinach, sausage, mozzarella) onto one half. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and press the edges to seal.

Transfer calzone to an oiled baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut 5 slits diagonally across the top of the calzone. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

This is a great Sunday because there is none of the usual "get ready for the week" stress. We are doing chores around the house and plan to meet my brother, Seanna, and my parents for dinner tonight. I love going out to dinner so I am excited.

If you have been following the blog this week you could see my menu plan from last week was not 100% carried out. I haven't cooked dinner since Thursday night so everything I had planned for the weekend went out the window. I apologize since I had planned to post all the recipes as I made them. I will try to kick it into gear this week :)

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday weekend. Have a fantastic week!!

Dinner

Monday: Dinner with Hubby's Family

Tuesday: Taco Night with Sweet Corn Tomalito

Wednesday: Macaroni and Cheese, green beans, fruit

Thursday: Savory Turkey and 2 Bean Chili, 5 Minute Artisan Bread, Veggie TBD

Friday: Beach! Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Saturday: Beach! Ribs, Twice Baked Potatoes, salad, cornbread

Sunday: Crab Casserole, peas, fruit

Breakfast

Tuesday: Breakfast Bar (I have to be at work early so this has to be quick)

Wednesday: Instant Oatmeal

Thursday: Frozen Waffle with Peanut Butter

Friday: Banana Bread

Tonight for dinner we had stuffed vegetarian peppers and they were so yummy! I just thought this one up while at the store and I would definitely do this again. Its very easy and looks so gourmet. Here is what I did:
.

1. Cut the top off of a bell pepper and h0llow out the insides.
2. Place the bell peppers in boiling water with the cover on for about 5 minutes.
3. Cook some Spanish rice of your choice and then place inside the bell peppers.
4. Add some cheese to the top and place in the oven until the cheese is melted and the peppers look roasted.
5. Serve with cornbread on the side
.

The picture link on blogger doesn't seem to work tonight so I will get back with the picture next week. Hope you try this one though! Let me know if you do! It's a keeper!

There is one more easy meal of mine that didn't make it on the blog last week. It is one of my favorite things to eat at home or at a restaurant....PESTO! I love, love, love it! During the summer my Grandma and I always make several huge batches and freeze it in individual portions. They are perfect for a quick meal. All you do it grab one from the freezer, defrost, and pour onto hot pasta. You can also buy it at the store and do the same thing on a hectic night but I just love the homemade version.

My favorite pasta to put the pesto on is ravioli or tortellini. Mmmmm...it sounds so good just writing about it I might have to bump something off of my menu plan for the week so we can eat this again.

This pesto recipe from the Food Network isn't the exact one I use with my Grandma but it is very similar minus the walnuts. If you have planted Basil for the summer this is a great way to use it and something you can enjoy all winter long.

Barefoot Contessa Pesto nocoupons

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Tonight for dinner was curried chicken salad with a side of cornbread. This was a new recipe for me from a cookbook called Panini written by Melanie Bernard. You were supposed to put the chicken salad in between cornbread pieces to make a panini but that didn't work out so well. We just ended up putting the chicken salad on lettuce and having corn bread on the side. Overall, it was nice but it would be better for lunch if left on lettuce. Mix all the following ingredients together.

1/4 cup walnut halves
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijan mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup cooked chicken breast
3 tablespoons chopped red onions
1/4 cup unpeeled Granny Smith apple
salt and pepper

I didn't add the 2 tablespoons of raisins, 2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped celery, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint that the recipe suggested.

This will be nice and light for going into summer.

On Friday night after work I got the urge to bake. I knew we would be visiting my Grandparents later in the evening so I thought it would be nice to take a treat along with us. Also after a long week of work the way I like to unwind is in the kitchen.

For a week or so I had wanted to try this Chocolate Frosting I saw on Our Best Bite. It is made with granulated sugar and flour then cooked on the stove. I had never seen a recipe like it so I was very curious. I talked my mom into making it with me and we both had a good time.

I also make a batch of brownies (I used a boxed mix...shhh) in a Demarle mold.

The finished product was the smoothest and lightest frosting I have ever tasted. It also wasn't too sweet so it didn't kill you eating it on a brownie. There is a vanilla version that I would like to try too but that will have to be a different day.

For something new and different give this a try.

It is Sunday night again! I can never believe how fast the weeks go. I had a great weekend but as usual it went too fast. We enjoyed seeing lots of friends this weekend which was very fun. I also hosted a bridal shower for a high school friend. I was looking forward to it but I am glad it is over with because it has been so much work getting ready. I think everyone had fun and some people thought the meal was catered which made me feel good.

Last week I was so tired from the bachelorette party that I never got super organized about my menu planning for the week. That was and always is a mistake. It gave me more motivation to kick it into high gear this week. Almost all of my selections this week are something new to us so check back later and I will link the recipes as I make them.

As usual I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and I send wishes for a great week!

Dinner

Monday: Mom and Dad's House

Tuesday: Roasted Chicken with Smokey Apricot Sauce, 5 Minute Artisan Bread, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday: Homemade Mexican Pizza, Fruit, Salad

Thursday: Spinach and Sausage Calzone, Fruit

Friday: Savory Turkey and Two Bean Chili, 5 Minute Artisan Bread

Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner

Sunday: Crab Casserole, Peas, Fruit

Breakfast

Monday: Pumpkin Pancakes

Tuesday: Smoothie

Wednesday: Kashi Breakfast Bar

Thursday: Leftover Pumpkin Pancakes

Friday: Smoothie

See more menu plans at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

(I apologize for the picture. All I had available at the time was the camera on my Dad's new cell phone)

You can tell what kinds of mood I have been in this week because all of my meals have had the theme of being easy. It was just one of those weeks where I wasn't in the mood to try new stuff and spend my afternoons in the kitchen.

The dessert I thought I had to share was this little concoction. I baked some chocolate chip cookies and when they were still a little warm I scooped softened ice cream in the middle and topped with another cookie. It would have been even fancier rolled in mini chocolate chips or sprinkles but that will have to be next time.

The combination of a warm cookie and cold ice cream was amazing! I want to make these again just thinking of them. YUM!

This is a perfect dessert for company that can really be made ahead. I used cookie dough I had in the freezer and just pulled the ice cream out just before serving. Easy right!?!

You owe it to yourself to try these this weekend. Happy Eating!

Tonight my husband said my dinner selection was creative! I don't think he has ever said that before. What I made was so simple but I had never thought to do it prior to this. The big dinner hit....I created a Nacho Bar! It was so yummy and easy. I think I will be adding it to my list of go to quick meals.

At my bar I offered diced peppers, pinto beans, avocado, queso, and taco meat. Combined it was all perfect. Really you could add anything you had on hand-salsa, sour cream, onions, cilantro, black beans, etc.

What is your go to easy meal?? I would love to hear some ideas.

I am finally getting around to posting the fabulous punch that my mom made for my Cousin's shower a couple weeks ago. I called her tonight looking for the recipe and she said, "Oh why don't you just look it up?" I was thinking because this is your special recipe where would I look it up from?

As it turns out, her special recipe is actually from the Food Network. It is called Citrus Tropical Punch. The only change she made was that she left out the liquor. It got rave reviews from all the guests and I am planning to make it again this weekend for another shower.

If you are looking for a good party drink give this a try.

This menu plan is much later than normal and for some reason it was so hard for me to do. I think it is because I threw my schedule off staying up so late over the weekend at a bachelorette party that now my mind is not working.

There are also a couple evening commitments this week that are throwing off my dinner schedule which also makes it hard to plan and cook. So with all that in mind here is my best shot for this week. Wish me luck!

Dinner

Monday: Dinner at Mom and Dad's-leaving soon actually :)

Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Soup, fruit, dinner rolls

Wednesday: Nacho Bar (queso, beans, taco meat, sour cream, lettuce, pepper), pineapple, mango

Thursday: Chicken Kabobs with Onions, Peppers and Pineapple, baked brown rice, broccoli

Friday: Out to Eat

Saturday: Evening Shower

Sunday: Macaroni and Cheese

Breakfast

Tuesday: Cereal

Wednesday: Smoothie

Thursday: Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Friday: Peanut Butter Oatmeal

(Sorry for the less than amazing photo....this stuff just didn't want to be photographed.)

Do you ever eat at Chevy's? If so, you will know what I am talking about when I refer to the sweet little goodness of corny stuff that arrives with your meal. It is so good, moister than cornbread and sweeter too. I found this recipe for making it at home on All Recipes back in 2007. I have made it many times since then and we always love it. It is not going to look like cornbread when you take it out of the oven and the directions say to serve it with an ice cream scoop so don't be alarmed.

The only ingredient on the list that you may not have at your house already is Masa Harina. This is a corn flour that can be found at almost all grocery stores. I actually purchased my bag at Winco. It is worth the extra purchase just to make this delicious side dish.

Sweet Corn Tomalito from All Recipes

In a medium bowl, mix together the margarine, masa flour, and sugar until light and fluffy. In a food processor or blender, blend one cup of the corn kernels with the water and cornmeal just until smooth. Stir into the masa mixture. Mix in the remaining corn, baking powder, salt, and milk until the batter is smooth. Pour into an 8x8 inch glass baking dish.

I have changed how I cook it compared to the original recipe. I cover my 8x8 pan with foil and then place it in a 9x13 pan that is filled 1/3 of the way full with water. I put that whole pan into an oven heated to 350 degrees and bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool ten minutes and use an ice cream scoop for easy removal from the pan.

For me whenever we make Mexican food for dinner I can never come up with a great side dish. Last week when we were having friends over for dinner I was going to serve tacos and was trying to figure out what to put with it. Flipping through my huge binder of recipes I stumbled upon this one from Family Fun October 2006.

The recipe is for Mexican Rice Salad. It looked so refreshing in the magazine I wanted to give it a shot. I am so happy I tried this! It was delicious and very fresh tasting. It even got the honor of being moved from my huge binder of recipes to my small binder of family favorites. I ended up serving it to another friend the next night and she loved it too. This is now my go to side dish for Mexican food night.

Mexican Rice Salad

Juice of 1 Lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
1/2 Cup Salsa
1/2 Cup Italian Dressing
4 Cups Cold Cooked Rice (Must be cold or it will make the salad gummy)
1 Cup Diced Red Bell Pepper
1 Cup Cooked Corn (I didn't have any of this but next time I will make sure I do)
1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Mix the lime juice, salsa, and salad dressing in a large bowl. Stir in the rice, bell pepper, corn, green onion, and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

We had company for dinner on Friday night and I had the whole meal planned out well in advance will all my ingredients purcahsed and ready to go. On Friday morning I realized I never thought about dessert. Over breakfast I decided I had to figure out what I was going to make. Since I work, the dessert had to be something I had all the ingredients for already. I stumbled upon this recipe that I tore out of a magazine. I am not sure when and I am not sure which magazine. It looked easy and a little more impressive than just a plate of brownies.

What I did was make a boxed brownie mix according to the packaged directions and baked them in a round pie dish. Once they were cooled I made a yummy topping (recipe below) that I got from my mom. Just before we ate I chopped up strawberries and spread them over the top. Very easy and a great wow factor. I could have just scraped the topping off and eaten it...so good!

Cream Cheese Topping

3 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Cool Whip

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in cool whip. Spread over your favorite dessert.

There has been a package of refrigerated biscuit dough looming over me in the fridge. It never seems to fit a meal that I am making and I knew it was getting past its prime. Each time I opened the fridge to get something I would see it in there begging to be used before it had to be thrown away. Last night after all of our Mother's Day festivities I pulled out a recipe for Easy Doughnuts and got busy.

If you know me I NEVER fry. I think there is one other thing I have fried and it was an accident (I started a recipe and was too far into it when I discovered something had to be fried to turn back). So this was very out of character for me. It turned out to be a lot of fun and I was so impressed with myself I had to call my parents over to try them. Everyone thought they were yummy and I was happy I didn't burn the house down.

If you want to try homemade doughnuts I think this is possibly the easiest way to do it. Good luck!


Easy Doughnuts (from Real Simple May 2007)
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Package Large Refrigerated Biscuits
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Place the biscuits on a cutting board. Using a 1 inch round cookie cutter or shot glass, cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, reserving the extra dough for "holes."

Test the heat of the oil by dipping the edge of a doughnut in the pan. When the oil is hot enough, the edge will bubble. Place 4 of the doughnuts and holes in the skillet and fry until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/5 minuets per side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to drain. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, reheat and cook the remaining doughnuts and holes. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss the warm doughnuts in the mixture a few at a time. Serve warm.

Happy Mother's Day!! We were lucky today and got to go out for brunch. So much fun! I am was also very excited to give the gifts we picked out this year. For everyone who is a Mom reading this I hope you have a very special Mother's Day!

I feel like I keep working and working to clear out the freezer and I am getting nowhere. I am going to start defrosting my turkey this week to cook next Monday at my parent's house. I know getting it out will clear out a lot of space. Last week the most amazing thing we ate was the Pumpkin Dinner Rolls. They were awesome! If you have time to add them to your meal plan this week give them a try.

Have a great week!

Dinner

Monday: Mom and Dad's

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Quesadillas, fruit, jello

Wednesday: Leftover Spaghetti Pie, fruit, salad

Thursday: Quiche with Ham, salad, fruit (we never got to this last week)

Friday: Macaroni and Cheese from Deceptively Delicious, salad, fruit, rice crispy treats

Saturday: Out to a Party

Sunday: Cheddar Baked Chicken, peas, leftover Pumpkin Dinner Rolls, fruit

Breakfast

Monday: Smoothie and banana bread

Tuesday: Pancakes

Wednesday: Peanut Butter Granola

Thursday: Pancakes

Friday: Breakfast Sandwich

See more plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

I saw these in a post on Money Saving Mom back in November and have been meaning to try them ever since. Today happened to be the day when all the stars aligned (meaning I had all the ingredients and the time) to make these. We also ended up with last minute dinner guests so it all worked out perfectly.

These rolls were amazing! So so so good and not too hard to make either. They also worked perfectly in my quest to clean out the freezer in time for summer. Don't be scared that these rolls have pumpkin in them. Nobody in our group could even taste the pumpkin and everyone thought they were some of the best rolls ever.

I think the pumpkin makes them so moist and a beautiful color. Also the pumpkin adds lots of vitamins to the rolls...bonus! I felt like the Sneaky Chef.

If you have any pumpkin lingering at your house from this last fall please try these rolls. You will be so impressed. One word of advice-eat them in moderation. They were so good I had three and now by stomach feels like it will explode!

The recipe I used was on Money Saving Mom but it originally came from Tammy's Recipes. If you try these let me know what you think!

As promised here are pictures from the fabulous shower my Aunt threw for my cousin over last weekend. Everything was so beautiful and put together I felt special just being there.



These were appetizers that my mom and I made. I actually ate so many of them while I was making them that I couldn't eat any during the party.



These were little tropical fruit cups. My mom cut up tropical fruit into tiny pieces and then layered them in shot glasses. They were so good!



These were some of the amazing floral arrangements my Aunt had ordered. Really set the tropical theme.



This punch was fantastic! My mom made it and it is one of the only punches I have heard of that needs to sit overnight. I will see if I can get the recipe to share.



For Dessert we had these yummy little cakes from Beaverton Bakery. They were the perfect sweet finish.



As a surprise my Aunt hired a Hawaiian Dancer to come teach and entertain us. So original!



I had to take a picture of the presents just because they looked pretty.



To end the day there was a nice tray of exotic coconut soap waiting for us to take at the elevators.

A perfect afternoon! Thank you to all who were involved!

If you have been reading the blog for long you know I have been in on a quest to use up everything from our freezer. I feel like it is so unorganized and the only way to get it back into shape is use up stuff that has been lingering in there. Today I wanted to use up frozen cranberries that had been in a deep freeze since Christmas.

A while ago I pulled this recipe out of the Food Day section of the newspaper. I wish I knew the date but I cut it out so the date it long gone. It is for Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb. It sounded so yummy! It also turned out to be pretty easy and everyone gave it great reviews when I took it to my parents house for dinner.

Now if you have stray cranberries in your freezer from the holidays here is an idea you can use too. Enjoy!



Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb

Vanilla Crumb
1 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Cold Unsalted Butter

Buckle
1 3/4 Cup Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
Grated Zest of 1 Orange
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Sour Cream (I used plain yogurt in an attempt to make it slightly healthier)
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

To make Crumb: Combine the flour, sugars, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Pulse or combine on low speed until the mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs. Drizzle the vanilla over the mixture and mix briefly to distribute. Use immediately or store in a plastic bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Make Buckle: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch square pan. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest together on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Fold in 1 cup of cranberries.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Distribute remaining 1 cup cranberries over the cake and sprinkle the crumb topping over the cranberries.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top. Wrapped in plastic wrap, this cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

I am doing my meal plan earlier today because I am going to my cousin's wedding shower this afternoon. I am excited to see how my Aunt has decorated the place we are going. I am sure it is going to be beautiful because she always does an amazing job. I will take pictures and post them so you can see for yourself.

My plan this week was hard because there are so many things I want to make and just not enough days for me to make them all. We are also having friends over for dinner on Friday which I am excited about. I want to make a bunch of different items so we will see if I have time.

Thank you for checking out my meal plan. I hope you have a fantastic week!

Dinner

Monday: Mom and Dad's House

Tuesday: Mexican Chicken Stew, Mexican Cornbread (when I made this a few weeks ago it made a ton so we have been eating it from the freezer), Salad

Wednesday: Meatloaf, Twice Baked Potatoes, Pumpkin Rolls or Banana Muffins, Salad

Thursday: Quiche, Biscuits, Salad, Fruit

Friday: Crock Pot Shredded Beef, Homemade Tortillas, Sweet Corn Tomalito, Mexican Rice Salad, Green Salad

Saturday: Thai Chicken Fettuccine (with pork instead of chicken), Jello,

Sunday: Mother's Day Brunch

Breakfast

Monday: Smoothie and Bread

Tuesday: Pumpkin Pancakes

Wednesday: Perfect Oatmeal

Thursday: Perfect Oatmeal

Friday: Smoothie and Bread

See more menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie.