Red, White, and Blue cupcakes

Here's a great way to celebrate Memorial Day/ July 4th; Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes!

Just get a box mix and follow directions. After making your cake mix, divide cake batter into 3 bowls and add desired food coloring; red, white, and blue. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full, using a little of each colored batter; and swirl colors together with a tooth pick

Bake according to box or recipe and allow to fully cool.

Make icing, recipe below, and tint to desired color (eat some too; this is my FAV)

YUM; love the blue!

I made a few mini cupcakes too (I didnt swirl the batter on these)

This is my favorite icing EVER. Enjoy!

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 the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more. YUM

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

Garlic and Herb Pork Roast

Garlic and Herb Pork Roast

What you need:

1 pork roast
1 can coke
1 onion
2 TBL minced garlic
1TBL worchestshire sauce
1 pkg lipton soup mix; garlic and herb

Put all in crockpot and cook on high all day. Serve with sauce over meat and brown gravy. Its that simple! Its superb with brown gravy, so don't skip on that!

I'm linked to Tempt my Tummy and blog hop Tuesdays

Beef Stew

First of all, this dumb thing keeps double spacing and wont let me single space! Whats the deal?! BAH! And I just posted pictures of my Easter decor and mantle on my family/mama blog if you're interested!

Chunky Beef Stew

1 can diced tomatoes (don't drain. I blend it in a food processor)

1 cup water

3 TB quick cooking tapioca (stick with me here!)

2 ts. Sugar

1 ½ ts. Salt

½ ts. Pepper

2 pounds lean beef stew meat (I bought a package of pre cut beef stew meat. Cut yours in chunks if not already cut up)

4 medium carrots (cut into chunks)

3 medium potatoes; chunks

2 celery ribs; chunks (optional)

1 medium; onion

1 slice bread; cubed

½ can chicken broth

In a large bowl; combine tomates, water, tapioca, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased baking pan. Cover and bake at 375 for 1 ½-2 hours (2 hours for more tender meat and veggies). Serve in bowls.

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

Apple Ginger Pork Chops

*This is not my picture. I have a fabulous camera, but I always get busy in the kitchen and forget to take pictures!

I posted this recipe a long time ago, but I"m reposting since I've made some new foodie friends :)

Do NOT make this if you dont like apple pie! Because its pretty much apple pie made into an entre! Everybody in my family loved it. My kids don't like the apple chunks, so I blend the apple pie mixture.

Apple Ginger Pork Chops

What you'll need:

4-6 pork chops (not super thick ones)

1 can apple pie filling

1 TBL oil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 TBL cornstarch

2 cups apple juice

12 ginersnap cookies; crumbled

What to do:

1.Sprinkle each pork chop with salt and pepper, and brown in hot oil in a skillet. Remove pork chops from heat, and place in casserole pan.

2. Combine the pie filling and crumbled ginersnaps

3. Spoon small amout of filling on top of each pork chop.

4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

5. Meanwhile; Combine cornstarch and apple juice until smooth on the stovetop. Add left over pie filling mixture (so dont use all of it on top of the pork chops!) Bring to a boil and stir until thickened.

6. Poor over pork chops and serve.

This post is linked to: Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesday and Full Plate Thursday

Chicken Velveeta Rotini Pasta

This is a really easy recipe, that's sure to please your kiddos!

What you need:

3 whole boneless breasts (cooked and cubed)

1 box Rotini pasta

1/2 lb. velveeta cheese, cubed

1/2 onion, minced

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 can chicken broth

What to do:

Cook pasta according to package; drain. In the same pot the pasta was cooked in, add cream of chicken soup, broth, onion, and whipping cream. Stir until combined. Add velveeta chunks, and add back the pasta. Stir in cooked chicken. Pour into 13x9 baking dish, and bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Stylish Awards!

Thank you Amber over at SweetLifeAsWife for my stylish blogger award! Ya'll need to go give Amber some Lovin. She hosts Top 10 Tuesdays, and you can find my posts (top 10 life essentials, and top 10 summer memories), over at my family/mama blog; Little Moments. Amber also hosts a cooking challenge every few weeks! This past week, our challenge was to cook with Kale and the next challenge is coconut oil! Need a recipe cooking challenge? Go check her blog out, and link up! Okay, so I realize this isn't a cooking post but since the award was for my cooking blog, I'm writting it here! Forgive me eh?!

So here are the rules for the awards!

1. Link back and thank the person who gave it to you.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 5 stylish blogs you read.

4. Contact them and tell them about their award!

Here are 7 facts about myself!

1. I drink a coke every morning, immediately upon waking up

2. I married a man with 3 children

3. I look 18 but I"m almost 30 (NOBODY ever believes I'm not in high school. It gets old and I dont like it)

4. I could not survive without meal planning. Otherwise, there's nothing to eat! Gotta have a plan people!

5. I have been to Multiple countries on mission trips; Russia (for 6 weeks), Romania (6 times),China, Uganda, Hungary, Switzerland, Netherlands, The Amazon of Brazil

6. I am a highly educated stay at home mom (Went to a Bible College; bachelors and 2 minors. Went on to get my Masters)

7. I love DSW shoes

Awards go to: (For this, I picked people through twitter that I follow; go follow them on Twitter, and check out their blogs!)

1. Mommy Hates Cooking

2.Ordinary Mom

3.The Lazy Christian

4.Mom of Three of More

5. The How to Mommy

Southwestern Enchilada Casserole

What you'll need:

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 chopped onion

1 can tomato sauce

1 can black beans

1 can corn (undrained)

1 pkg taco chedder cheese

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 can original rotel

corn torillas

What to do:

Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet; drain and return to pan. Add the tomato sauce, black beans, corn, green chilies, and rotel (I blend mine). Mix well. Add cumin, garlic, and oregano. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer on low for about 5 minutes.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, and layer corn torillas on the bottom in torn pieces. Poor half of the meat mixture on top of tortillas, cover with cheese; then repeat layers (tortillas, beef mixture, and cheese).

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Whats Cooking Wednesday