Smores Cake

First things first. Me at 37 weeks

This one's for the kiddos! Super easy Smore's Cake!

What you'll need:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips

1 box grahmn crackers

1 jar marshmallow cream

What to do:

Follow directions on cake box. Set the timer for 10 minutes LESS than the box says to (you’ll put the cake back in later, and we don’t want to over cook it!).

Pull the cake out and layer marshmallow cream like icing (it helps if you wet the spoon or knife as your spread)

Spread out chocolate chips

Top with grahmn crackers; broken into halves.

Allow cake to cook 10 minutes longer. Serve Warm!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

Pork with creamy fennel and bacon sauce

What you'll need:

4-6 boneless pork chops

1 cup flour

dash salt and pepper

4TBL oil

4-6 slices of bacon, finely chopped

2 TBL fennel seeds (chopped and minced) (found in your spice isle)

1 small onion; minced

4 cloves garlic; minced

4TBL lemon juice

1 cup whipping cream

What to do:

Trim fat from meat. Tenderize meat with meat mallot or tenderizer. (I use a fantastic meat tenderizer that I bought from Bed Bath and Beyond. Much easier than a mallet)

In a shallow bowl combine flour and a dash of salt and pepper; coat pork with mixture.

In a large skillet, cook pork in hot oil. Replinish oil as needed. When cooked and browned; remove from skillet.

In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. (tear, shred, cut, place in processor; whatever to make smaller)

Add fennel, onion, and garlic. Cook a few minutes longer. Add lemon juice, then stir in whipping cream.

Bring to boil, and return meat to pan.

Cook until sauce has begun to thicken and quickly remove pork (before sauce evaporates!), and spoon sauce over meat. I might even double the sauce ingredients next time to have some extra. It evaporates up quickly!

It's creamy, porky, bacon-esk, yumminess.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tangy Shredded Pork Tacos

So I realize its been MONTHS since I've attempted to post on this blog. I'm 35 weeks pregnant, and although I'm still cooking; I just haven't thought about posting! I found this recipe on the food network, and made it last night. Everyone liked it except my oldest; which is odd because he eats everything!

Tangy Shredded Pork Tacos

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (3 1/2-pound) boneless pork; cut into chunks

1 medium onion; minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken stock

1 small can tomato paste

1 tablespoons honey

1 orange, peeled and blended

1 lime, peeled and blended

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Mix the oregano, cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and season the cubed pork chunks with the spice mixture. Put into a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, chicken stock, tomato paste, honey, orange and lime; stir together.

Put the pot on medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and cook, covered, until the pork is tender and easily shreds, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you don’t have a dutch oven, transfer to another dish, safe for the oven.

Remove the meat from the Dutch oven to a cutting board. Set the Dutch oven over medium heat and reduce the liquid until it becomes slightly syrupy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the meat and place in a bowl. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid into the pork and toss.

Serve with tortillas

For the first time in a long time, this post is linked to Tempt my Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday

Visit my other blog later, for week 35 pictures and doctor updates!

Orange Pineapple Cream Salad

Well hello. It's been a while, my friends. I"m still cooking; just not anything too spectacular worthy of posting. 

Being prego and all, keeps me from the desire of cooking at times. My belly is growing; slowly, but I'm getting there. I"ve gained 10 pounds total, and its difficult to figure out where 10 pounds has gone! I can still button my jeans; although, its getting slightly uncomfortable. 

Enough of me. Onto FOOD....

ORANGE PINEAPPLE CREAM SALAD

1 11 oz can mandarin oranges

1 8oz can pineapple chunks

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup marshmallows

Mix pineapple chunks, sour cream, and marshmallows together. Stir in mandarin oranges. Refrigerator for 2 hours and serve!

Easy Peasy

Side note; I dont like sour cream, but I like this! Light and refreshing. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

More Baseballs; It's a boy!

Pictures and info on my other blog !

Vanilla Pudding Sugar Cookie Icing

Vanilla Pudding Icing

¼ cup cold milk

3 TBL instant vanilla pudding mix

¼ cup butter, softened

2 ½ cups powedered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine milk and pudding mix until smooth; set aside.

 In a mixing bowl; cream butter and beat in pudding mixture. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and any food coloring. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

 I used a simple Betty Crocker sugar cookie bag mix. I used the recipe for cut out cookies, and used my angle cookie cutter.

Keira (5) thought they were leaves. How do I keep them from fattening up?! They're so much prettier above! The icing turns out a bit yellow from the pudding, so you may want to use food coloring if you want a different color. I topped mine with some sugar crystals. Not the most perfect thing to look at, but good! Kids loved them!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

On a personal note, today I"m 16 weeks! I've been sick and coughing a ton this past week, but I had my 4 month apt. today and everything seems to be going well. More on my other blog

Vanilla Christmas Fudge

Now that Thankgsiving is over, it's time to begin all the holiday baking! Here's my first of hopefully many!

Vanilla Christmas Fudge

1 bag white vanilla chips
1/4 heavy whipping cream
1 TBL honey
3/4 cup chopped cashews or other nuts (opt)
3/4 cup red and green M&M's

Line the bottom of a 8X8 pan with foil, overhanging the edges by a few inches. Spray with pam.

In a large bowl, mix the vanilla chips, heavy whipping cream, and honey. Melt in microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Place in microwave for another 30 seconds and stir. It should be melted and smooth (if not, add for another few seconds!). Stir in the nuts, if using, and allow to sit in bowl for 30 minutes.

Quickly add M&M's (just 1/2 cup), and spread into pan. Sprinkle with a few more M&M's, and press down into mixture a little. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove fudge and foil from pan and place on cutting board. The fudge should easily slip off the foil, and just the fudge should remain on cutting board. Slice in desired sized pieces!

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday