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Recipes

Be Ready For the Big Game With SNICKERS® Brownie “Hamburger” Cupcakes!

January 12, 2015 / Food, Recipes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are 100% my own. #BigGameTreats #CollectiveBias

In anticipation of the Big Game, I’ve been planning the menu for our annual Big Game Day party. Our usual spread always includes chips n’ dip, party meatballs, pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers. This year I wanted to make some extra yummy treats for the dessert table. We have a few more children that will be coming over this year, so I came up with something I think they’re really going to go nuts over….SNICKERS® Brownie Hamburger Cupcakes! These cupcakes are stuffed with SNICKERS brownie “hamburger patties” and they look just like little hamburgers. There are several steps to making these but they’re also very easy to prepare. My daughter loved helping me make these. They are guaranteed to be the talk of your party!

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this fabulous dessert:

one box of your favorite brownie mix
one box of your favorite yellow cake mix
1 container of white frosting
1/4 cup white sprinkles
1/2 cup coconut flakes, sweetened
red, yellow, and green food coloring
15-20 Fun Size SNICKERS, chopped

Preparation

The first thing you want to do is to make the SNICKERS brownies. I prepare my favorite boxed brownie mix and toss in some chopped up Fun Size Snickers bars into the batter. Before placing the batter into the baking pan, I place parchment paper in there, so I’m able to easily remove the brownies from the pan after they’re done, without breaking them. This just makes for better looking squares when you slice them.

After the brownies come out of the oven, be sure to allow them to cool for at least an hour before cutting. I sliced half of the pan into squares and set them aside. I used the remaining half of the brownies to make the “burgers“. Using a small biscuit cutter, cut circles out of the brownies and set aside.

Next, prepare the cupcakes using the yellow cake mix. It’s important that you use cupcake liners when you bake them, so your cupcakes have ridges on the outside. It’s also important to fill your cupcake liners full enough so the cupcakes bake up high.

After baking the cupcakes, allow them to cool completely. After they’ve sufficiently cooled down, remove each one from the wrapper and slice about 1/4 of the bottom of the cupcake off and throw away. (or eat it) Slice the remaining part of each cupcake in half to make the “hamburger bun” and set aside.

To prepare the “lettuce“, put 1/2 cup of coconut into a bowl and squeeze a few drops of green food coloring into the bowl. Mix together, using a fork, until desired green color is achieved.

To prepare “ketchup“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting into a bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir together with a spoon until it resembles ketchup. Do the same to prepare “cheese“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting in a bowl, with a few drops of yellow and some red food coloring too and stir together with a spoon until it resembles cheese. For both of these, you may end up adding drops of color until you reach your desired color.

After you have all of your burger ingredients prepared, it’s time for the fun part…the assembling of your hamburger cupcakes. I like to squeeze some ketchup and cheese, using a pastry bag, on top of the burger and then top with a generous amount of lettuce. When you place the top bun on, it’ll squeeze some of that out and make it look like a real burger. Use the white sprinkles to make the sesame seeds on the bun and poke a cute toothpick through the top! I’m garnishing mine with Starburst® to really get the kids hopping around!

I was able to find all of the items I needed for my recipe at Walmart. I found the Fun Size SNICKERS I used in my recipe on the candy aisle, as well as the Starburst®! It’s the perfect place to buy all of your Big Game Day necessities!

How do YOU celebrate on the day of the BIG GAME? Do you have any special recipes that you like to make?

Disney’s “Frozen” Popcorn Snack Recipe

December 30, 2014 / Food, Recipes

If your children are anything like my daughter, they probably can’t get enough of all things Frozen! After getting the Frozen Sing-Along Edition for Christmas, Emi was anxious to watch it with me. I suggested that we make a fun snack to go along with it. I also sang to her when I asked her, “Do you wanna make some popcorn?“!

The word “popcorn” gets any kid excited but when I pulled out the bag of Wilton’s blue melts, white M&M’s, and 2 kinds of Wilton’s sprinkles, she got even more excited! (If possible) I’ve think I’ve come up with a popcorn snack recipe for most holidays and now one for this movie! I’m calling this one “Frozen Popcorn“! It’s simple to throw together.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A giant bowl of popcorn. I say giant because you will end up eating a bunch before you’ve even made your recipe. For this concoction, I popped 2 bags of microwave popcorn and separated the unpopped kernels out before putting it all into a big bowl.

I bought a bag of blue Wilton candy melts, 2 different kinds of Wilton sprinkles, and then also some white M&Ms. You need some type of candy to mix in with it all. Peanuts or chocolate chips could also work well with this. I was trying to stick with blue and white to match my “Frozen” theme.

Preparation:

To prepare the candy melts, you’ll want to place them into a microwave-safe bowl. Have some vegetable available on your counter to use. Microwave the melts for 30 seconds, remove, and stir. They won’t be that melted the first time.

They’ll look like this after you’ve microwaved the first 30 seconds. (not very melted yet)

Do this once more for 30 seconds and again remove and stir. My melts are usually pretty melted by this time. Keep stirring so they’re all blended together, unless you think yours need a little more heat. It’s very important that you don’t overcook them. Add a little bit of vegetable oil to your melts and stir well. Allow to cool for about a minute and you’ll notice the mixture gets a little bit thicker.

Now it’s ready to spoon over the popcorn bowl. Use wooden spoons (or your hands if you’re brave) to mix the melt mixture together with the popcorn.

It might look as blue as a Smurf but the kids will just be excited that they’re getting blue popcorn. After it’s mixed up, add the sprinkles and the M&Ms, again mixing together really well. Now it’s ready to serve!

To make it extra fun, serve your “Frozen” snack in fun cups or bowls! Keep some hand wipes nearby!

But be careful…because if you turn your back, THIS is what can happen! I ate a bunch when she wasn’t watching though, so we’re kind of even!

What’s your favorite “go-to snack” for family movie nights at your house?

It’s Comfort Food Time With Marie Callender’s Pot Pies & Cornucopia Salad!

December 22, 2014 / Food, Let's Eat!, Recipes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EasyAsPotPie #CollectiveBias

I’m always excited when it starts to feel like winter outside! There’s just something about the cooler temperatures that gets me excited to pull out my winter sweaters and fuzzy socks and start cooking up comfort foods!

One of my favorite comfort foods are Marie Callender’s pot pies, specifically the chicken ones, which I actually grew up eating as a kid. They’re made with tender white-meat chicken, carrots, celery, and peas and prepared in a golden, flaky crust made from scratch, that tastes like homemade. Just writing about them makes me want one right now! The pot pies are also available in turkey, beef & a few different kinds of chicken flavors and are sold in a variety of sizes, to fit the needs of your own family. Although they’re available in Family Size, our family prefers the smaller individual ones. I think it has do with us each getting our own full crust!

As a busy mom, who’s always on the go, I appreciate a meal I can make for my family, that not only tastes good but is quick and easy to prepare. With our schedules, it’s sometimes hard to find very much “together time” at home. To prepare a Marie Callender’s pot pie, you just pop it into the oven. (They can be prepared in the microwave, too). While they’re cooking in the oven, I’m then able to spend some quality time in the kitchen with my daughter, making a side dish to complete the meal. My daughter loves to cook and bake so any time that we can carve out time to spend together in the kitchen is a plus. For me, it’s so important to make that connection with family.

One of our favorite side dishes is the “Cornucopia Salad“. This salad combines baby lettuce, green apple, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, feta cheese crumbles, and candied almonds. It’s tossed in a delicious olive oil-based dressing and just goes really well with just about any meal! It’s very simple to throw together too!

Ingredients for salad

6 cups lettuce of your choice, washed. (I sometimes use bagged lettuce to save time.)
1 large Granny Smith apple
1 11 ounce can mandarin oranges
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raw almonds, sliced
1/2 cup Feta cheese crumbles (blue cheese also works with this recipe)
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
the juice from 1 lemon

Ingredients for dressing

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Candied Almond Preparation

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and almonds and put over medium heat.
Continue to stir the mixture every couple of minutes until the sugar starts to melt.
Once this happens, continue stirring evenly to sugar coat all of the almonds evenly and then transfer from the pan to some foil, allowing the almonds to cool down and solidify a little bit.

Dressing Preparation

Whisk together salt, pepper, sugar, and olive oil in a small bowl.
Finely chop up parsley and add to the mixture.
Set dressing aside and shake well before tossing onto Cornucopia Salad.

Salad Preparation

Add lettuce to salad bowl.
Cut and core apple and either cut into large apple slices or dice it up. Next, add to salad bowl. If you don’t plan on serving right away, squeeze lemon juice onto apple to prevent browning.
Drain mandarin oranges and add to salad.
Add dried cranberries, feta cheese crumbles, and candied almonds to the bowl and mix everything together.
Set salad aside until you’re ready to toss with dressing and serve.

For me, a Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie served with Cornucopia Salad IS the ultimate comfort meal that my family and I can all sit around the table and enjoy, as we chat about each others’ days. Family time together is the most important time!

This fall, Marie Callender’s launched the Comforts From Home Project, a program dedicated to bringing the heartwarming feelings, flavors, and favorites of home to those who miss it most…. those who protect America’s homes every day: the brave men and women of the U.S. Military. Every time you enter a code from a specially marked package of Marie Callender’s meals or desserts, Marie Callender’s will make a donation to USO2GO, a USO program that brings electronics, sports gear, books, games, and more to troops stationed in remote locations. Look for the code on participating products.

You can find Marie Callender’s pot pies in the frozen meals section of the grocery area in your local Walmart! Visit here to learn more about Marie Callender’s pot pies and here for more great recipes!

What’s YOUR family’s favorite comfort food to enjoy together?

Happy National S’mores Day!

August 10, 2014 / Food, Recipes

Today is National S’mores Day! It’s one of my favorite food holidays of the year! I mean, in addition to National Popcorn Day (March 14), National Cupcake Day (August 18th) and, of course, National Pancake Day (September 26)! I love the fact that there is a National Food Holiday for every day of the year! (at least for the U.S. there is) It can also be a problem since most of us are trying NOT to eat these things on most days, but it still makes for something to be excited about on any given day, right?

For me, it’s important to choose the right product brands that will make quality s’mores. You don’t want a s’more that’s going to break when you’re making it! (I’ve tried store brand and I wasn’t a fan) I always use HoneyMaid graham crackers for mine. I also have to use Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows! They have so many marshmallows to choose from, even Stackers, which are perfect for s’mores because they’re kind of flat and fit into a s’more! You know that any marshmallow with its own Facebook fan page has GOT to be good! I also insist on using Hershey’s chocolate bars for s’mores. I love using the baby ones because they’re the perfect size for a s’more.

This year, we decided to a add a little something extra to our s’mores…..mustaches!!!

These Wilton mustaches from Michael’s were WAY TOO CUTE to pass up!

It was so funny that she stuck the mustache on her own face here!

Did I mention that I just want to eat this girl up? She’s too cute!

I mustache you a question…how are YOU going to celebrate National S’mores Day?

Celebrating Whole Foods Market Cherry Fest: Summertime Salad with Fresh Cherries Recipe & a Giveaway!

July 10, 2014 / Food, Recipes

Cherries are one of those fruits that I could sit and eat for hours! Having a bowl full of cherries in my lap, literally makes me happy! I’d never considered doing much more with cherries than just eating them as is. Whole Foods Market, is currently celebrating their 5th Annual Cherry Fest and I was invited to create a recipe for an in-store event they were having.

Shopping in Whole Foods makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! I literally walk around with my mouth gaping open in awe! I LOVE that Whole Foods Market supports and promotes local farms and I feel content knowing that my produce is fresh from the farm to my table. They had such beautiful cherries in the produce section that I couldn’t wait to get them home and use them in my Summertime Salad with fresh Cherries recipe!

Let me take a minute to talk about the dressing I used for the salad. It’s a recipe that’s been passed down among girlfriends for about 9 years now. Originally, one of my good friends served this dressing on a salad at my baby shower (my baby is currently 9 years old). I swear EVERYONE at that shower was asking her for the recipe! (including me) I cannot even count how many times I’ve made this dressing. I honestly think I serve it on almost every occasion possible AND everyone always loves it and asks for the recipe. My girlfriends and I call it “the dressing” and everyone in our circle of friends knows exactly what someone is talking about if you use those words! It’s just the kind of dressing you can use on most salads, so I’m using it on this one today. I think it’s going to become your new “secret weapon” too! Ok, here comes the recipe….

Ingredients for the Secret Weapon dressing:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup good quality olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Salad:

5 oz. of Baby Arugula
1 lb. cherries, pitted and sliced
4 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob (after it’s cooled)
2 avocados, chopped
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

For the dressing, finely chop the parsley and add to a dressing container of your choice, mixing in all of the other ingredients to the container. Dressing can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator but will need to return to room temp prior to serving. Shake dressing well prior to serving. I usually double the recipe for the dressing when I make it, just so I have extra, in case I make more salad at the party. (Everyone will want more, trust me!)

For the salad, place baby arugula, corn, avocado, feta cheese crumbles, and fresh cherries in a bowl and toss with dressing. If desired, sprinkle some extra feta cheese crumbles on top. (I promise, no one will object to this)

So…tell me what you think? Are you ready to go and make my Summertime Salad now or what?

Did I mention their cherries are going to be on sale tomorrow for $1.99 a pound?!!!

You NEED to go buy some and make something yummy too!

I just have ONE MORE thing to share…a giveaway! Everyone loves giveaways, right? In honor of Whole Foods Market and their Cherry Fest, they’ve given me one $50 Whole Foods gift card to give away to one of my lucky readers! Enter below on the Rafflecopter! Good Luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a Whole Foods gift card as compensation for creating my recipe. All opinions are my own. Some images provided to me by Whole Foods.

How I Got My Child to LOVE Brussels Sprouts!

May 23, 2014 / Food, Recipes

My daughter loves most vegetables! It sometimes surprises me when I see her conquer a pile of spinach or a mound of asparagus because I certainly didn’t feel that way about veggies when I was a kid! I actually remember washing my veggies down with milk and trying not to taste them!
Lately, I’ve been in search of some of new recipes to incorporate different veggies into her “Veggie Repertoire”. Personally, I find that just asking other mom friends what they do is much easier than looking online. I think you get more authentic advice doing so.
Last month, on the car ride to one of our cheer competitions, I chit chatted with one of my cheer mom friends about things that she makes for her kids. She proceeded to describe how she makes these brussels sprouts that her kids actually fight over! Seriously? It seemed to good to be true but I was up for the challenge! I made a mental note that I was going to attempt to make them sometime in the near future and I finally found time to do so the other day. Of course, at that point I couldn’t remember the recipe, but being the texting queen that I am, I just did this:

Who needs recipe cards or cookbooks, right?

It seemed simple enough. I actually bought a package of the pre-cut ones. I threw them into the glass baking dish, drizzled the olive oil on them, shook on some salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and popped them into the oven at 385 for 20 minutes, just like she said. When I stirred them at 10 minutes, they were already looking yummy! At around 20 minutes, they looked good to me…with some crispy parts. I forgot to mention that I had never really eaten brussels sprouts before either. Honestly, they just never appealed to me, but now I needed to set an example for Emily, right?

I tried one when they came out of the oven and WHOA!!! So yummy! The true test would come though when Emi tried them. She had a weird face when I set them in front of her, but I let her know that this was “Ms. Jonnelle’s recipe” and that her own kids fought over how many they each got, so that was kind of a game changer. (For some reason if it’s from someone else it always seems to make it better!)

At first my daughter seemed hesitant but then I told her to try one of the brown parts and I think that’s when she was hooked! She almost ate the entire dish I gave her BEFORE touching any of the coconut panko crusted chicken tenders I served with it! At this point, I think I did “The Mommy Happy Dance”! Another victory! Yay!

Holiday Monkey Bread

December 25, 2013 / Celebrations, Food, Holiday Fun, Recipes

Monkey Bread is a holiday necessity in our home! It’s so easy to make and is something that we all enjoy eating for breakfast on a festive day like 4th of July or Christmas. There are always leftovers to munch on throughout the entirety of the day too!
Lately, I’ve been trying to handwrite recipes that I make and put them into a recipe book for my daughter to have when she’s an adult.

Hand writing recipes takes WAY MORE time than just typing them out on a computer, but I think it’ll be more meaningful for her to have things I wrote.

Ingredients:

4 cans of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits (not the flaky ones)
1 2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously butter a bundt cake pan.
Mix sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Melt butter in a measuring cup in the microwave.
Cut up biscuits, 1 can at a time, roll pieces in cinnamon sugar mixture and layer them in pan.
After cutting up each can of biscuits, top the layer with some melted butter. Continue until all cans are cut up and layered.
Pour remaining butter over the top of the pan and sprinkle some extra cinnamon sugar on top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, maybe a little longer if necessary. It should be golden brown on top.
Remove pan from oven and let it cool slightly prior to serving.

Just seeing this pic is making me want more!

Is your mouth watering yet?

Kid Friendly Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

December 13, 2013 / Food, Recipes

Lately, I’ve been on a mission to find more kid-friendly recipes my daughter will eat. She’s generally been a good eater, but it seems like she’s starting to grow tired of certain basics that I’ve always been able to get her to eat. I recently came across a recipe for a bacon macaroni & cheese. Although it’s something I’d like to cook up for myself, I changed the recipe to one that was just plain and without bacon. She REALLY, REALLY loved this recipe, so I decided to share it with you!

Ingredients:

1 box (1 lb) elbow macaroni
1 bag of gourmet croutons, crushed (ahead of time)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Preparation:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Use a non-stick cooking spray to coat a broiler-safe cooking dish and set aside.
Boil pasta in pot of lightly salted water, drain and set aside.
Pour milk into saucepan and whisk in flour, salt, pepper, butter, and onion flakes. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the 3 cheeses together. Add milk mixture into the bowl and whisk together with cheeses until all are mixed well.
Pour cheese sauce over pasta in the pasta pot and mix well. Transfer to the broiler-safe cooking dish and top with a layer of crushed croutons.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then increase oven temperature and broil for 3 minutes, until the top is slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool prior to serving.

Such an easy prep!

I see this pic and it makes me want to go eat more NOW!

What is YOUR favorite comfort food?

Scrummy Joe’s Spaghetti Squash

October 21, 2013 / Food, Recipes

I’m on a constant quest for semi-quick and easy meals to prepare for dinner that my daughter will actually eat. One of the best places I’ve gotten ideas from is at Trader Joe’s. Every week when we go in to do our weekly shopping, my daughter gets excited to visit the back of the store where the samples are being made. On our last visit there, they were preparing this Scrummy Joe’s Spaghetti Squash. (How cute is that name?) Emi kept sneaking back for more. (shhhh!) I knew she was “sold” on it when she asked, “Mommy, WHICH part is the squash?” as she kept eating it. The best part about their samples, is that everything that’s used in the recipe is usually in a fridge right next to the preparation area or sitting up on the counter. They also have little recipe cards typed out for you to take home. It really couldn’t be any simpler. Moms like me REALLY appreciate Trader Joe’s!

So here is the recipe. Just wait til’ you taste it!

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash
1 bottle Kansas City BBQ Sauce
I can diced tomatoes with green chiles (drained)
2 lbs Organic ground beef (turkey meat can be substituted)
1 medium onion chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:
The first thing you have to do is to conquer the spaghetti squash! First wash it really well. Then cut it VERY CAREFULLY the long way and scoop out the inside, along with the seeds. It’s JUST like a pumpkin! Then place half of it in a microwave safe bowl, pour a little bit of water actually on the squash, cover with plastic and microwave for about 10 minutes total. The plastic is going to be EXTREMELY HOT, as well as the bowl so use caution when taking it out of the microwave to allow it to cool. I removed the plastic right away and left it on the counter for a few minutes. After the squash is cooled a bit, you can use a fork to make it shred into spaghetti-like strands. I shredded all of the inside, placed it in a bowl, sprinkled with some salt and pepper to taste, and set it aside.
Saute ground beef (or turkey) with onion and drain.
Add the bottle of BBQ sauce and the can of drained tomatoes and mix well. (I actually blended up the can of tomatoes so it was a fine sauce because my daughter is picky if she sees big, red tomatoes in her food)
In a 9 X 13 dish, spread the squash evenly in the bottom, layer the meat/sauce mix on top of that, cover with cheese and warm in the oven until the cheese is melted!

I could barely wait until it cooled down to eat it! Emi ate 2 servings of it. Now your turn!

*For more Trader Joe’s recipes, go here.