Easter Recap

Our little family had a great Easter!  This year we were far from family BUT we got to celebrate it with a new addition.  It's so much fun to celebrate Easter with children...what a blessing! 

 

 

I always have this "goal" of being at my ideal size by Easter so I can buy and wear a cute sundress.  Let's be honest...if you're bigger than a size 10 you just can't find much.  Well another year passed and I was in that boat again.  In conclusion, momma didn't get a new dress.  Whomp whomp...

 

Meanwhile, I enjoyed cooking AND eating these yummy recipes...

(TOTALLY did NOT log my food this weekend OR count calories) 

**This is why I never reach my goal size...lol

 

 

Great American Cookie "DOUBLE DOOZIE"

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1.5 sticks unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg AND 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

 

Icing:

1lb. confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2 tbsp. milk

2 tbsp. hot water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

**I didn't even use half of this to fill my cookies so I suggest cutting this recipe in half.

 

I have a great love affair for the Great American Cookie double doozies.  Y'all don't even understand how hard it is to walk by one of these and NOT be tempted.  But we moved to a new town that doesn't have one SO when I had a craving for this I had to come up with a copycat recipe.

 

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the hardest things to get just right.  Well baking in general is like that.  Just the smallest detail can make a huge difference.  Also, everyone likes their cookies a certain way.  Normally, I just use the classic chocolate chip recipe on the back of the Nestle chocolate chips package.  However, for double doozies you need large soft and chewy cookies.  So the hunt was on to find the perfect recipe...

 

Here are some tips I learned:

• Make sure your eggs are at room temperature (if you're in a hurry put them in warm/hot water for 5 minutes).
• Use good ingredients!!! You want good quality vanilla extract and chocolate chips (I only use ghiradelli chocolate chips).
• Refrigerate your cookie dough for at LEAST 2 hours before baking.
• Use parchment paper so the cookies do not get crispy on the bottom.
• To get thick cookies make them TALL.  What I mean by that is use your hands to form your dough into 1 inch wide and 2 inches in height.
• Measure correctly.  Don't eyeball anything.  I even go an extra step and use a knife to swipe across my measuring cups.

 

Directions:

Whisk together your melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till there are no lumps.  Then, whisk in your eggs and vanilla.  Set aside.  In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda.  Now fold in your wet ingredients.  Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips.  Bake 10-12 minutes on 325 degrees (they will still look doughy but they will continue to cook on the cookie sheet once you take them out).  For the icing, mix all the ingredients into a mixer.  Mix on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes.  Now you're ready to assemble! Just make sure your cookies are cooled before adding the icing.  Makes 8 large double doozies!!!

 

 

 

St. Louis Thin Crust Pizza



 

Ingredients:

1/2-1 cup Pizza Sauce (I used a jar sauce)

2 cups Pizza blend cheese

1-2 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Your favorite pizza toppings

 

Crust:
2 cups of self rising flour

2 tbsp. olive oil

6 tbsp. water

 

We moved really close to St. Louis and we've really enjoyed all the pizza joints around downtown.  There are seriously like 4 within one block of each other.  Our favorite is Imo's and they serve "St. Louis style" thin crust pizza.  The provolone cheese and seasonings on their pizzas are SO good. 

 

I've never made homemade pizza crust.  Store bought is always EASY and fast.  But I really wanted to get a SUPER thin crust so I decided to make my own this time around.  This crust recipe is super simple and fairly good.  I do think I'll try another recipe though the next time to experiment with a yeast crust instead.

 

Directions:

Combine your flour, olive oil, and water.  Form into a ball.  Let is rest for 10 minutes.  Roll dough out in between 2 pieces of wax paper.  Transfer to a greased pizza pan.  Add your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Bake on 425 degrees for 12 minutes. IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

**I had to use a few tablespoons more of water to get the dough to form but you might not need to.

 

 

**I've been backed up on posting recipes this past week (see why below) but hoping to get things posted daily this week and share some new recipes.

 

James will be 3 months old this coming Friday!  Motherhood has been wonderful (I know...I'm only 3 months into it).  I don't have a lot of negative experiences or complaints.  He is really a good/happy baby.  Sleeps well.  Healthy.  Etc.  But the one thing that has been difficult is breast feeding.  The 2nd week I ended up with mastitis because of engorgement and then the last month I've been dealing with supply issues.  It went from one extreme to the other.  I know the biggest issue for me is drinking enough water.  If anyone has any pointers on increasing milk supply I sure would appreciate it!!! Do those milk cookies really work???

 

Friday Fun Day

I have several recipes to share today!  So let's start with breakfast recipes and work our way to dinner.

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Waffles

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups water/milk
144g of strawberries (topping)

Servings: 4
Calories: 164

This recipe is super simple! All you do is mix your ingredients and pour batter on your griddle.  You can do any fruit.  Typically I would add blueberries to the batter but I was out. 

Ham and Egg Cups

Ingredients:
12 slices of ham/turkey
12 eggs
1/2-1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
salt/pepper to taste

Servings: 12
Calories: 114

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

First, spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray

 

Line each cup with a piece of ham

 

Add your egg (you can scramble if you want but I don't)

 

Add salt/pepper

 

Sprinkle cheese on top

 

Bake 20 minutes

 

Let them cool and then place in a gallon size ziplock back.  These keep good for five days in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

 

Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Sugar free Fat free Cheesecake jello mix

1 cup of greek yogurt

1/4 cup of milk

144g strawberries for topping

 

Servings: 2

Calories: 104

 

 

 

This is AMAZING if you love cheesecake and need a fix but are trying to watch your calories.  Let's face it...cream cheese is NOT your thighs best friend.  To make this just mix all your ingredients together, top with sliced strawberries, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

 

Chicken Fajita Kabobs

 

Ingredients:

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 large onion

10-12 ounces chicken breast

Marinade

6 Kabobs

 

Marinade:

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. Chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

 

Servings: 2

Calories: 259

 

 

 

At our house we love anything and everything Mexican.  Tacos, Quesadillas, Enchiladas, Fajitas, and so on.  To make this requires a little bit of prep time.  You will need to soak your skewer sticks (if wooden) for 2 hours and marinate your veggies and chicken at least this long as well.  I take a gallon size ziplock bag and throw in all my veggies, chicken, and marinade.  Refrigerate.  Assemble.  Grill.  We like to add beans, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and tortillas with this meal.  SO GOOD!  Just watch out for all these little extra things if you are watching your calories. ;)

 

Me and James Jr. had a great Friday cooking, walking, and getting baths!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 







Spring Lemon and Spinach Pasta

With the weather turning warmer it leaves me wanting to eat things light and fresh.  Plus I love anything with lemon and spinach! Yum!

Spring Lemon and Spinach Pasta

Ingredients:
12 oz. fettuccine
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
10 oz. spinach
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt/pepper to taste

Servings: 4
Calories: 415

Boil water

 

 Cook pasta

 

Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of pasta water

 

Cut up garlic and bell pepper

 

Mix together lemon juice, rind, ricotta, salt, pepper, and red pepper

 

Heat oil in LARGE skillet

 

Saute garlic and bell pepper (3-5 minutes)

Add pasta, spinach, pasta water, and ricotta mixture.  Cook until spinach wilts (2-3 minutes)

 

That's it...pretty simple!

 

 I paired this with a salad and garlic bread

 

 ***TIP

Most recipes have 4-6 servings.  Since it's just me and Jamie I always put the other servings away first thing (this helps to not over eat AND Jamie likes leftovers for lunch).

 

 

This dish must have been good because my husband cleaned the kitchen after dinner!!! He is a keeper!!! :)

 

 

 

 



Sweets for my Sweetie!

Everyone knows once you have a baby everything else takes 2nd priority...including your husband.  I try to make sure I show my husband how much I appreciate him and love him daily. 

When Jamie and I were dating I used to bake for him all the time.  I haven't done that for him in a LONG time.  Little "I love you" gestures are important in a marriage.  I hope and pray that I never take my husband for granted and that he knows I love him and appreciate everything he does for our family. 

SO all that being said...this is what I made for Jamie this morning.  YUM!

Loaded M&M Oreo Cookie Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1 large egg
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used almond since I was out of vanilla)
1 cup all-purpose flour
18 Oreo Cookies (chopped)
1/2 cup M&M's

Servings: 12
Calories: 283

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

Line 8x8 pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray

 

Melt butter 

 

Whisk in egg

 

Add vanilla extract

 

And brown sugar

 

Whisk all together

 

Add flour, gradually

 

Chop Oreos (I over chopped mine and should have just used a knife)

 

Stir Oreos into batter and pour into your pan.  Top with M&M's

 

Bake for 20 minutes or until knife comes out clean AND enjoy!

 

***I totally ate one for breakfast BUT I did track it on MyFitnessPal ;)

 

 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Tonight I made another pinterest recipe! What did I do before pinterest?

This recipe is super simple and I used ingredients that were left over from other meals. I always have grilled cooked chicken in my fridge ready to go. I like to get my George Forman grill out on Sunday’s and cook a whole bag of frozen chicken breast…this way I can use it for recipes, salads, or a quick lunch for Jamie.

Also, I always have dry ranch dressing seasoning mix on hand. I use it 9 times out of 10 for roasted potatoes. AND it goes without saying most people have milk, cheese, butter, flour, and pasta on hand.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cooked, chopped bacon (I used bacon pieces for a shortcut)
2 cups cooked chopped chicken

Servings: 4
Calories: 571

 

First thing I do is lay out all my ingredients so I can have them at the ready.

Next, you will boil your water for the pasta.

 

Add pasta once it starts to boil.

 

 

Once your pasta is cooked you will drain it and set aside.

 

 

In the same pot melt your butter.

 

 

Then whisk in flour (stir for about a minute).

 

 

Now add your milk and stir till it thickens (3-5 minutes).

 

 

Once the sauce has thickened you're ready to add your cheese and dry ranch mix.  Stir till cheese is melted.

 

 

Lastly, add your bacon, pasta, and chicken.  Stir to combine.

 

 

VOILA!!!! You're done.  You could pair this with bread or salad...or BOTH!!! :)

 

 

Jamie really liked this dish and so did I since it was so simple and quick to make! Enjoy!!!