Archive for the ‘Food & Recipes’ Category

Play It Again, Momma: Fruity Play Dough

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Each day we have been enjoying something off of Ethan’s summertime list. One of the things that he wanted to do was to make play dough so I found a really great recipe that I thought would work perfectly and keep our kitchen nice and cool. This recipe requires no cooking, which is a bonus on a hot summer day, and uses Kool-Aid mixes to make your colors.

I made a batch in each of the kid’s favorite colors and was suprised how quickly and easily this dough came together. In about five minutes, the dough was ready to go for little hands to enjoy.

Boy, did they enjoy this! I put out my biscuit cutter, plastic forks and knives, cookie cutters, and a giant rolling pin- all items courtesy of my kitchen! The kids played in this for over an hour and then I stored the batches in plastic containers.

This dough stays nice and soft and the smell is delicious… which is very confusing for a two year-old. Emily found out the hard way that it didn’t taste as good as it smelled, but it only took one taste to find that out.

Fruity Play Dough (courtesy of Recipezaar.com)

1 cup flour
1 package Kool-AidKool-Aid (any flavor)

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup boiling water (the original recipe called for one cup of boiling water, but I found it made the dough too loose- aim for 3/4 cup and add more if needed)

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl then oil, then pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly. Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge. The play dough should last a few months.

Emily’s Famous Sloppy Joes

Monday, January 19th, 2009

This famous recipe wouldn’t be from my Emily, but from another Emily who submitted her recipe to the AllRecipes Dinner Tonight cookbook. I figured if it was created by an Emily, it had to be good!

I really love my recipe for Sloppy Joes, but I am always looking to try new things. I really liked that this recipe used tomato paste instead of ketchup and was intrigued by the ingredient and spice combination.

I gave it some extra time to simmer while the hamburger buns cooled off, and the flavors were absolutely perfect. I loved everything about this recipe and really loved that it was made out of ingredients that were already in the pantry.

Emily’s Famous Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped (omitted for our picky eaters)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder (I decreased this to 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the ground beef for five minutes. Add the onion and red bell pepper; saute for five more minutes or until onion is tender and beef is browned. Drin. Mix in tomato paste and water, stirring until paste is dissolved. Stir in garlic, chili powder, parika, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue to heat for five to ten minutes or until mixture is thick. Yield: 8 servings.

Fast & Delicious Appetizer: Spinach Balls

Monday, January 19th, 2009


This was my appetizer dish for a New Year’s Eve bash that my husband & I attended. My husband absolutely hates spinach so I wasn’t sure how well these would go over. If you can believe it, he really loved them so even if you aren’t a spinach lover these are definitely worth a try. The chicken flavored stuffing throws you off from the spinach and because the spinach is fully cooked, the texture of these is so great.

I love any appetizer that you can pop into your mouth gracefully. The spinach between the teeth though…well, you may still have that problem. I am planning to make these often for future nights of board game fun because they are portable and come together in a flash. To save yourself from cooking on the day of an event, make these ahead and keep them in the freezer.

Spinach Balls

2- 10 oz packages frozen spinach
1 package chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup butter, melted
Salt & pepper to taste

Do-Ahead: Cook spinach according to instructions, drain in a sieve, use back of a wooden spoon to press the spinach against the sieve to get as much moisture as possible out In a bowl combine the spinach, stuffing mix,cheese, eggs, butter, salt& pepper Mix thoroughly& roll into small balls 3/4 to 1″ size. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze.

Event Day: To serve place frozen balls on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned If you are doing them fresh or thawed only bake for 7-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Yummy Sloppy Joes

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Yummy Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onions (I omitted these because I don’t like onions)
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

In a large skillet, brown beef with onions (make sure to drain or rinse your meat after this step). Mix the rest of the ingredients together. Add to beef and onions. Cook for 1 hour over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Serve on warm hamburger buns.

Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Simple Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Combine oats and milk (I used prepared powdered milk) and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease each cup of one 12-cup muffin tin. Stir egg, oil, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pecans into the oat and milk mixture. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add oat mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Fill each cup of one 12-cup muffin tin 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with the remaining brown sugar and pecans. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Amy’s Notes: I added a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the muffins.

Our Favorite Hot Cocoa Mix

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Hot Cocoa Mix

4 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (4 ounce) package instant chocolate fudge pudding

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. If a finer consistency is desired, you can pour the mix into a blender or food processor and run it through that. Store in an airtight container. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on your cocoa preference) of the mix to an 8 ounce mug of boiling water.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Braised Balsamic Chicken

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts. Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken and add basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Simmer until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, approximately fifteen minutes. Serve over a bed of rice or spaghetti.

This would be delicious served up with a side of green beans and a big sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The dinner comes together in about twenty minutes which makes it a great dish to entertain with or to throw together on a weeknight. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Sugar Cookie Frosting

4 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup shortening
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring

In a large bowl, cream together confectioners sugar and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about five minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

Soft Sugar Cookies With Frosting

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Soft Sugar Cookies

2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar. Stir in the eggs and the vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add these to the creamed mixture. Chill dough for one hour in a bowl covered with plastic wra. Roll dough into walnut size balls and roll balls in sugar (unless frosting). Place on an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake ten to twelve minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from sheets and allow to cool.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

4 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup shortening
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring

In a large bowl, cream together confectioners sugar and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about five minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

Fast Enchilada Sauce

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Fast Enchilada Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chili powder (we adjusted to 1 teaspoon)
3 garlic cloves,minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
Pepper

Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat until shimmering. add the onion and salt and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and sugar. Cook until fragrant, about fifteen seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about five minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.