Chocolate Mallow Mousse

Chocolate Mallow Mousse
1 cup cold milk
1 package (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding
1 cup thawed whipped topping
1 cup miniature marshmallows

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Gently stir in the whipped topping and marshmallows. Spoon into serving bowls. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Adapted from: Kraft Foods

Chocolate Day

I had bought some cookies from the Dollar Store---boy was that a mistake...they were not very good...so I decided to dip them in chocolate so that Andrew would eat them...it worked! He loves them now...
Since we had some chocolate left over, I decided to use the mold I saved from our Christmas Advent Calendar. Andrew loved helping make the tiny chocolates...


There was still chocolate left over, so I used the jello mold to make a huge Christmas Tree and Star...Andrew can't wait to eat those "Big One"s.

Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
3/4 cup pecans, chopped coarse
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5 loaf pan and dust with flour.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, pecans and chocolate chips in a large bowl; set aside.
4. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Snow Day!!!

Hooray!!! Finally enough snow to go play and make a snow man!!!! Andrew was SO happy!


Andrew was tired after all that work... :)
Trying to give the snowman a high 5 - LOL!

I think he's going in for a kiss...
Yep...he was going in for a kiss :)

Caught!!!

Andrew didn't like it that I wanted to watch the Food Network, so he went upstairs to play. After 20 minutes, I realized how quiet it was so I went to investigate. Andrew had went into our bedroom, turned on Toy Story, crawled under the covers and fell asleep. :) Too precious....so I took a picture and went back to watching Food Network!

Brent's Concert

On our way to Dadda's concert...

Eating a cookie before concert...

Loving Dadda before concert...

Taco Salad

Who knew that this could result...
from making this...
TACO SALAD

3 tortillas
3/4 lb ground turkey
turkey taco seasoning
lettuce
shredded cheese
cherry tomatoes
sour cream
taco sauce

1) Heat oven to 425. Crumble 3 sheets of foil to make 3 (3-inch) balls; place on baking sheet. Top each with 1 tortilla; spray with cooking spray. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until tortillas are golden brown.
2) Meanwhile, brown meat with taco seasonings in large nonstick skillet, cook 3 to 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
3) Fill tortilla shells with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and taco sauce.

Serves 3

Ready for some sun?

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!!!!

Brent's Home Brewing - Batch #3 - Rudus Idaeus Weissbier

Above is Brent's third batch, Rubus Idaeus Weissbier...which translates to Red Raspberry Wheat Beer. This has got to be the most delicious beer I have ever tasted!!!! My husband is super amazing!

Basketball and Over-nighter

We started the morning by going to watch Andrew's cousin Kellen play basketball. Kellen is 4 and that had to be the most interesting and funny game of basketball we have ever seen :) It was great fun!
Brent has a work party scheduled for the evening, so we called on Audri for Andrew to stay over-night. He was excited--he kept saying "Aunt Audri's House!" He always has a good time there with Nicole and Travin.

Easy Toffee Brownies

Easy Toffee Brownies

1 (17.6 oz) package brownie mix with walnuts
Vegetable oil cooking spray
3 (4 oz) candy bars with almonds and toffee chips (I used Symphony brand)

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.
Line a 7x9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula.
Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter.
Cover with the remaining batter.
Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then life from the pan using the edges of the foil. Cut brownies into squares.

Adapted from the Food Network

Andrew is just cute :)

Crescent Dogs

Crescent Dogs

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
48 cocktail sized smoked link sausages

1. Preheat oven 375.
2. Unroll both cans of dough, separate into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle into 3 narrow triangles.
3. Place sausage on each triangle and roll up; place on ungreased cookie sheets.
4. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and serve with mustard or ketchup.

Makes 48

Chili in a Biscuit Bowl

Chili in a Biscuit Bowl

Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 cups biscuit baking mix (like Bisquick)
2/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
flour, for dusting work surface
1 lb ground meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
28 oz Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

for toppings:
shredded cheese
sour cream
sliced green onions

1. Preheat oven 450. Invert a muffin tin and spray the underside with vegetable oil cooking spray.
2. Stir together the baking mix, milk and cayenne. Shape into a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Divide ball into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a circle big enough to cover your upsidedown muffins tins. Press each piece around the cup to form a bowl shape. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Brown the ground meat over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper and continue to cook until the meat is completely browned and the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chili powder and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, spoon the hot chili into the biscuit bowls. Garnish with toppings.

Serves 12
Adapted from Food Network

Super Bowl with "Uncle Nate"

Andrew was SO excited when he heard Uncle Nate would be coming over today....that's all I heard that day and the next.

Basic Peach Muffins

Peach Muffins

1 1/2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 cup chopped peaches (frozen, fresh or canned --well drained)

Preheat oven to 400.
Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Cream margarine, then add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Beat vanilla and yogurt into creamed mixture and stir in flour mixture. Chop peaches into small pieces, about 1/4-inch in thickness. Add fruit to mixture and stir briefly to blend. Drop by spoonfuls into well-greased muffin tins.
Bake about 20 minutes..

Makes 12 muffins.

Almond Peach Muffins

We froze some peaches and I decided that I needed to pull some out and bake! :)

Almond Peach Muffins

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cup chopped, peeled fresh or frozen peaches
1/2 cup almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 375.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
In another bowl beat eggs, oil and extracts; stir in dry ingredients just until moistened.
Fold in peaches and almonds.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Easy Herhsey Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies

Andrew has been obsessed with his Hershey kisses this week...so we decided to make some peanut butter kiss cookies for him.

Easy Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies
1 package (1 lb 1.5 oz) peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar (for rolling)
36 Hershey's Kisses chocolates, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven 375. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms.
3. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls and roll in sugar.
4. Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately press 1 Hershey Kiss chocolate candy in center of each cookie.
7. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 36 Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies.
Adapted from Krusteaz.