{{Hazelnut Coffee Cake}}

Here's a delicious, easy coffee cake that you can enjoy for breakfast or dessert!

{Lemon Almond Meringues}

1/2 C. Ground Almonds
2 T. Cornstarch
4 Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1 C. White Sugar
2 t. Lemon Juice
1 t. Lemon Zest
2/3 C. Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpad and set aside.

Use a food processor to finely grind your almonds. Place in a small bowl, toss in the cornstarch, and set aside.

In the bowl on an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites and pinch of salt on medium speed.  {Make sure that the bowl and whisk are completely clean and dry, egg whites are sensitive.}  Beat until frothy peaks form.  Increase the mixer speed to medium high, and gradually add both sugars.  Add lemon juice.  Beat until mixture is glossy white and holds stiff peaks. 

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add ground almond mixture and lemon zest.  Gently fold together until mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Transfer meringue into a large Ziplock bag & cut the corner tip, or you can simply use a large soup spoon to dollop meringue onto lined baking sheet.

Place sheet trays in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.  Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave meringues in the oven until they’re completely dry.  When cool, remove meringues from the baking sheet and enjoy.  Cookies can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Homemade Jarred Minced Garlic}

Super easy. Super cheap. Fresh & you know the exact ingredients! You can store the garlic in a jar in your fridge for a week or so & in the freezer for much longer! When freezing, I put it in two Ziplock freezer bags {prevents freezer burn and it smelling up your freezer} and seal both tightly. You can even separate the garlic in the bag and drop a frozen block in your meal when needed!

20 Garlic Cloves {Peeled}
1/4 {or so} C. LIGHT Olive Oil
Food Processor
Mason Jar
2 Ziplock Bags

   Just put your garlic cloves in the food processor and pulse until your desired consistency. Add oil little by little until it is nice and moist but not "soupy" .. store Jared in fridge or bagged in freezer! Add as needed in your cooking!

{Creamy Baked Spaghetti}

{Ingredients}

1 Box Spaghetti Pasta {Cooked & Drained}

Dash of Vegetable Oil

1 Lb. Ground Beef 

1 Small Onion {Chopped}

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce {Recipe Below - Can Use 2 Jars of Store Bought}

8 Oz. Cream Cheese {Softened}

1 C. Sour Cream

1 C. Ricotta Cheese

1 C. Parmesan Cheese {Grated}

Dash of S&P

{Directions}

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray...

Cook pasta a minute less according  to box instructions. Add just a dash of oil to help noodles from sticking 

Make spaghetti sauce {recipe below} & add to browned beef & onion. Let Simmer. The longer it has to simmer & meld the flavors together, the better...

In a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta cheese until smooth, creamy, and well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cooked spaghetti into the cheese mixture & combine well {I just used my paddle attachment & let the mixer combine it on low}. Add in 3/4 of your spaghetti sauce & combine well. Add the remaining sauce on to & top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with a salad & Garlic bread.

{Homemade Spaghetti Sauce}

2 {28 Oz.} Cans Crushed Tomatoes

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Can Tomato Paste

1 Small Can Tomato Sauce

2 t. Dried Basil

1 t. Dried Marjoram

2 t. Dried Parsley

1 t. Italian Seasoning

1 t. Dried Sage

1 t. Onion Powder

1 t. Garlic Powder

1/8 - 1/4 C. Sugar

Dash of S&P

Combine all the ingredients & let simmer for an hour or more. Add to cooked ground beef & onion. Top on any pasta.

{Homemade Pork Pot Stickers}

I have to admit - I LOVE making new food, but am always chicken to taste it myself ... I usually a "taste as you go" gal ... not one to follow recipes, but, rather do a little dash of this and a little dash of that...

In this case - Asian Food - I'm not at all familiar cooking. So, I followed the recipe step by step {almost ;)} & LOVED THEM. I'm talking - as good as the restaurants - loved them. 

My hubs and I always order "pork dumplings" or "pork pot stickers" as an appetizer when we go to any Asian restaurant, so I've had my fair share in tasting when cooked by the {trained professionals} ... 

I was shocked to realize just how easy & DELICIOUS these turned out! :)

Here's the recipe:

Pork Pot Stickers

1 Lb. Ground Pork

6 Green Onions, Minced (whites & light greens)

2 T. Soy Sauce

1 T. Sesame Oil

2 t. Fresh Ginger, Grated

2 t. {heaping} Brown Sugar

2 t. Rice Vinegar

1 t. Siracha

1/4 t. Pepper

1/2 C. Peanut Oil {or more}

Wonton Wrappers

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients except oil & wrappers. I combined them well and put it in Tupperware letting it sit in the fridge overnight. I think this helped meld the flavors really well.

When ready to fry - put a teaspoon or so in the middle of your Wonton wrapper, dip your finger in some water, swipe your finger on the edges of the Wonton and "seal" the deal.... I folded mine into triangles... 

Keep assembling until done.

Heat your oil over Medium heat - maybe just a smidgen higher... once your oil is hot... lay in one of your pot stickers and continue until pan is full but not crowded... once browned on one side flip it over and do the same to the other side... I wanted to make sure my pork was cooked through and probably ended up doing 4-5 minutes max... If you don't "over-stuff" your wonton wrapper - it shouldn't take too long...

Set on a paper towel to drain and then ENJOY THE YUMMY-NESSSSSS!

<3 Linds

{Lindsay's Chicken Pot Pie}

Lightest & Most Flaky Crust Ever!

YOU'LL LOVE IT, trust me!

{Banana Nut | or nutless | Muffins}

Ingredients

2 C. Flour

1 1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/2 t. Salt

4 Overripe Bananas, broken up - slightly mashed (to help mixer)

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Sticks Butter, Melted & Cooled

2 Eggs

1 t. Vanilla Extract

1/2 C. Walnuts, Chopped {Substitute Whichever Nut You Like Best}

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & lightly butter (or spray with nonstick cooking spray) your muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Break up and mash the bananas with a fork in a small bowl to help out the mixer. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a gentle tap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

{4th Of July | Rice Krispy Treats}

Our Church Does What We Call ... {SNAP}

Sunday
Night
At The
Park

We go to a park after church, hang out, eat & play games! Our first one this year will be this coming Sunday! I want to make Rice Krispy Treats because of the different things you can do with them, but have yet to decide which one's to make! The recipe is below & I added several pictures of different ways to "style" them. 

Take a peek, leave a comment & let me know what your favorite is, or what you'll be doing!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbs. of butter
• 2 C. of marshmallows
• 3 C. of crisp rice cereal
• 9x13 pan
• 9x9 pan
• red food coloring
• blue food coloring

Directions

Start each batch by melting down the butter and marshmallows. Leave one batch plain.

 

Add red and blue food coloring to two batches. 

 

Layer each batch on top of each other. Or design them how you'd like! :)

 

 

 

 

 

{Chicken Salad Wonton Cups}

YUM-O!

I love Chicken Salad Sandwiches!

But, I have a party to go to tonight & think these little "cups" are a perfect

party food! Easy to pick up, flavorful, not messy & oh so yummy!

Check out the recipe & let me know what you think! :)

 

Ingredients:

36 wonton wrappers

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 (or more) cup sour cream

1/2 cup diced purple grapes

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt & pepper

sprinkle of sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray one side of each wonton wrapper with no-stick cooking spray. Press wonton wrappers, coated-side-down into miniature muffin cups. 

2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pans; cool. 

3. Combine chicken, pecans, green onions, grapes and celery. Stir in mayo, sour cream, sugar & salt and pepper. 

4. Spoon chicken mixture into wonton cups. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve & enjoy! :)

{That White Queso... From That One Mexican Restaurant}

So...  I think a lot of us have gone to a Mexican restaurant in some city that has that white queso that was SO deliciously yummy that EVERY Mexican restaurant should have it on their menu................... but..................many don't!

So, here is the closest I've come to it! I remember it runny, a little spicy - but not too much and oh so yummy! Try out the recipe below and let me know what ya think ;) 

White Queso Dip

• 1 1/4 (1.25) lb block White American Cheese
• 1/4 cup diced green chiles
• 2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup cold water
• pinch of cumin (optional)

Toss all ingredients into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips or as a sauce over your favorite Mexican dish.

*Recipe Note: White American cheese is found at most deli counters in your local grocery store.

*Reheat Instructions: Store any leftover cheese dip in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.

Adapted From: http://www.seededatthetable.com/2011/11/30/queso-blanco-dip-the-second-and-final-attempt/