Menu Plan Monday; Last week of school

Sunday- Parmesan Garlic chicken, homemade baked beans, rice (All from last week, that I didnt get to)

Monday- Chicken and Dumplings

Tuesday- Eddie's enchilada's (didn't make these last week. Last week got busy, okay?!)

Wednesday- Baked Penne with gouda and garlic sausage (I'm using this kind of sausage that I bought at Sams, instead of Italian sausage)

Thursday- Kid's night; If you can find it, eat it. Salads for Edwin and I (Kade, our oldest, is leaving Thursday night for Disney World with his Mimi and Grandpa for 14 days! This is also the boys last day of school and Kai's end of the year party)

Friday- No more school! Grilled Teriyaki chicken, corn on the cob, rice

I know I said I was going to make and post pictures of my graduation cookies, but they didnt turn out so well! I went to a baker's supply store and bought some cookie cutters and great stuff! I"m going to try again, and make some Palm Tree cookies for Kai's end of the year party (It's a luau). The icing is REALLY yummy; it's the sugar cookie part that I messed up somehow! 

Okay lets be honest; I got impatient and didn't leave it in the refrigerator long enough. Then it was too sticky when I was using cookie cutters, so I added more flour; which just made it taste to floury! There, I admitted it.  

Menu Plan Monday; Happy birthday to me!

Happy Memorial Day! Today is also my birthday; happy birthday to me! I am now 28 and embracing a new year; hopefully filled with a move to dallas, a new job for my husband, a new baby, and great memories and experiences!

I hope you all had a great weekend and continue to have a great Monday! Edwin is in charge of meals today (Monday) since its my birthday, so my menu plan begins on Tuesday. I had three things I didn't make last week, due to showings in our home during dinner time. This week might look the same, but I'm going to try my best to make dinner! 

Tuesday- Croissant chicken pockets (have not made these yet)

Wednesday-Eddie's Enchiladas (family recipe)

Thursday- Parmesan Garlic Chicken, homemade baked beans (didn't make these last time), rice

Friday- Lasagna Rolls (didn't make this last week)

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 env.  GOOD SEASONS Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

6   boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix cheese, salad dressing mix and garlic powder.

MOISTEN chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.

BAKE 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through

Thursday is Kai's Kindergarten graduation, so I'm planning on making graduation cookies. Check back on Thursday for pictures and the recipe! 

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at Organized Junkie

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Keira's last day of 4 year old preschool was this past Friday, and I was trying to think of something to make for her teachers! Now, if your a baker you either follow Bakerella or should! I decided to make her red velvet cake balls! It proved to be a little more difficult than I thought, but in the end; I was pretty proud of the outcome! Here's the recipe and pictures! 

Begin with following the directions on a box of red velvet cake mix. I love the red! You can use any cake mix, if you dont want to use red velvet.

Allow the cake to completely cool (I allow an hour, if you have the time)

After the cake has cooled, crumble the cake in a large bowl (the above picture is me beginning to break the cake into smaller pieces)

Add 1 can of Cream Cheese icing into the cake and mix with your fingers (starting to get messy!)

This is what it should look like 

Shape into small balls (I actually made mine a little too big), and place on a cookie sheet (I needed 2 cookie sheets). Refrigerate for a few hours

Once the cake has been in the refrigerator for a few hours, follow the directions on a package of white chocolate bark to melt (usually you microwave half at a time, for 90 seconds and then stir)

Leave the cake balls in the fridge and take one out at a time. Dip and mix into the white chocolate and place on wax paper. I had a difficult time doing this, as my cake crumbled a little bit and I just had to do my best! Also, once I placed on the wax paper, my fingers messed up the white chocolate. I took a spoon and drizzled more white chocolate over the areas that messed up. 

Once I dipped the cake ball, I sprinkled with some sugar crystals 

Once all the cake balls are covered and sprinkled, the firsts ones should be hardened and ready to go!

I bought little baggies, and filled them with a few Red Velvet Cake Balls

Of course I had to keep a few for us!  They're really sweet, so I left a few cake balls plain 

Enjoy!

2 Crust Blackberry Cobbler

I've combined and changed a few different recipes, and have landed upon this one! I had to make it a few times to figure it out, and get it right! My husband and kids didnt seem to mind trying my "experiments"! 

For the Crust; you'll need

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup ice water

For the fruit; you'll need

2 bags any frozen fruit; thawed

Combine flour and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cut butter into tablespoon pieces; add it to the flour and butter. You may need to use a fork to cut the butter and mix it up. 

I finally get to use this baby, for the first time! yay!

With the mixer on low speed , or while stirring the mixture with a fork, pour in the cold water. When the dough starts to clump, and before it turns into a ball, stop stirring.

Lightly knead dough in the bowl, until it forms a ball. Chill for about 30 minutes before rolling. If the dough seems to sticky, just stir in some flour. 

 Meanwhile, put THAWED fruit in a bowl (I bought 2 bags of frozen blackberries),and add sugar and stir. 

 

Divide dough in half, and roll out one ball to the size and shape of the pie pan. Fill pan

 Sprinkle a little sugar on crust, then put some of the fruit in crust

 Dot the fruit with some butter.

Cut a few strips from remaining dough, and place over the fruit. (just a few). Then cover with fruit, and dot with butter again. Then top with a solid crust or just more strips; sprinkle with sugar 

 Bake at about 350 degrees for 60-65 min, or until crust is brown and fruit is cooked. 

Eat!

This post has been linked to Tasty Tuesday  and Tempt My Tummy

Menu Plan Monday

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Ours was SUPER busy! Our house is finally on the market (sign in the yard today; Monday!)  We did some landscaping and finishing touches on the house, which kept us all really busy. I'll be posting pictures on my other blog; Little Moments.

Here's what we have cookin this week!

Monday-Lantham Stew

Tuesday-Taco Casserole

Wednesday- Lemon pepper pork loin, homemade baked beans (didn't make this last week), and broccoli 

Thursday- Lasagna rolls, garlic bread

Friday- Kid's night; If you can find it, Eat it!

Dessert- Homemade 2 crust blackberry cobbler. Come back Tuesday for recipe and pictures!

This post is linked to Orgjunkie; Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day! Go over to my other blog, Little Moments, for my Mother's day pictures!

This week is Kai's last week in baseball and Keira "graduates" from her preschool class on Friday!  Here's what we have cooking for this week!

Monday- Jumbo Shells stuffed with sausage (didn't make this last week), and garlic bread

Tuesday- Kai's end of the year Baseball party- No cooking!

Wednesday- Jambalaya with shrimp and sausage 

Thursday- Grilled chicken, corn on the cob, homemade baked beans 

Friday- Kid's night 

Saturday-Croissant Chicken Pockets 

This post is linked to Orgjunkie 

Cinco De Mayo Rainbow Cake

Happy Cinco De Mayo! I changed this rainbow cake for Cinco De Mayo today! 

photo and original rainbow cake recipe  here

What you'll need:

2 boxes white cake mix, and 2 12oz cans of sprite (diet works too)

Mix cake mix and sprite together; DONT follow the cake instructions! No eggs or anything! Just the cake batter and sprite! 

Then, divide cake batter up into smaller bowls (a bowl for each color).

 For the Cinco De Mayo cake, I'm using three bowls; one for red food coloring, one for green food coloring, and one plain (for white). Drop about 1 cup of each color into a round baking pan. (sprayed with pam). Do the reverse order of colors in a second round pan. 

Bake the cakes as long as the box tells you to. 

Let the cakes cool and layer! The cake was really sticky, so I had a hard time stacking them.

Sounds simple right?! It is! Now use whatever icing you want! I used a homemade meringue icing.

Meringue Icing

5 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Pinch fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 drops pure almond extract

 Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer; in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in a bowl until combined.

 Set the bowl over the simmering water in the saucepan and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Remove mixer bowl from water, and beat at medium-high speed (using whisk attachments), until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak; about 5 minutes. 

Turn the speed down to low and add the vanilla and almond extracts. Increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture looks glassy/glossy and holds a stiff peak; about 2 minutes more.

Frost your cake!

So pretty in my cake dome

Cut and Eat!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesdays and Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays. 

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

I've been asked by a few people for this recipe, so here it is! I've combined a family recipe from my mother in law and a few things from Paula Deen. I had to make this with my mother in law before I could make it on my own! It's certainly not the easiest recipe. This is definitely a family favorite, and I really like the recipe I've come up with! Also, stop by tomorrow for my Cinco De Mayo Rainbow Cake! 

Boil 4-6 chicken breast halves (or more; just depending on how much Chicken you want!), in enough water to cover. Add 1 Tsp.Salt , ¼ tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and 2 bouillon cubes.  Once the chicken is cooked, remove chicken and set aside and leave the water in the pot. Add 1 can cream of chicken; stir and leave on low. Once chicken is cooled, shred or cut into chunks.

In a bowl, cut (stir slightly) the Crisco (1 1/2 Tbl) with a fork, into the flour (3 cups), ( I usually use my hands to mix the crisco up) then add the milk (1 cup)

Roll or pat out the dumplings on a floured surface until the dough is about 1 inch thick. Use plenty of flour on the top and the bottom of your rolled out dough.

Cut the dumplings into 1 or 2 inch strips, and then again to make rectangles. 

Sprinkle finished cut dumplings with salt, and some flour so they’re not sticky. Increase temperature of  water and cream of chicken to boiling. Then drop dumplings one by one. Once all the dumplings are added, lower the temperature, and do not stir. Let them boil (on medium) for 12 minutes, then lower temperature to low and cover. Let them steam for about 20 minutes.. 

Add the chicken afterwards

Stir and serve!

Written out directions-

Boil 4 or 5 chicken breast halves (or more; just depending on how much Chicken you want!), in enough water to cover. Add 1 Tsp.Salt , ¼ tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and 2 bouillon cubes.  Once the chicken is cooked, remove chicken and set aside and leave the water in the pot. Add 1 can cream of chicken; stir and leave on low. Once chicken is cooled, shred or cut into chunks.

Dumpling Ingredients (You might want to double this if you like a lot of dumplings; more dumplings than chicken)

3 cups self rising flour

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Crisco

1 cup milk (if it's too sticky, add a little bit more milk)

To Make the dumplings:

Cut (stir slightly) the Crisco with a fork, into the flour, ( I usually use my hands to mix the crisco up) then add the milk.

Roll or pat out the dumplings on a floured surface until the dough is about 1 inch thick. Use plenty of flour on the top and the bottom of your rolled out dough. Cut the dumplings into 1 or 2 inch strips and then crossways again to make rectangles. Sprinkle finished cut dumplings with salt, and some flour so they’re not sticky. Increase temperature of  water and cream of chicken to boiling. Then drop dumplings one by one. Once all the dumplings are added, lower the temperature, and do not stir. Let them boil (on medium) for 12 minutes, then lower temperature to low and cover. Let them steam for about 20 minutes.. Then and add chicken. You can add some corn starch if its too soupy, or ladel out some of the broth (I have to sometimes!). Add salt and pepper to taste.