We had a birthday get together with Chris' family yesterday at our house and I was in charge of making the cake. No chocolate was all that was requested (boo) so Chris and I searched through cookbooks to find a cake that didn't require a big trip to the store and this one was the winner. I had never made it before but it looked easy and required few extra ingredients from the store. Everyone really enjoyed it!
Brown Sugar Bundt Cake
1 18 oz. box yellow cake mix
1 3 1/2 oz. box instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
4 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. finely chopped pecans (I left these out)
Grease a 10-inch bundt pan well (I just used PAM) and sprinkle pan with granulated sugar (even if using non-stick pan). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and water in large bowl and beat on medium speed until well mixed, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and pecans and mix to combine well. Pour batter evenly into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Place bundt pan on wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and slip pan off cake. Let cool on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Can be stored covered at room temperature.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Nana's Chicken and Dumplings
My grandmother (Nana) makes the BEST chicken and dumplings (I'm probably biased, though). I asked her for the recipe years ago and she said she didn't have it written down, she just does it. I bought the stuff she told me to buy and she came over one day and showed me how to make it. Not that it was hard, but she couldn't even think about how to tell me to make it because she just *does* it without thinking. It was easier for her to show me. And now I have it down without a recipe, but I'm going to write it here just in case I ever lose my mind (or if any of you want it).
Nana's Chicken and Dumplings
Makes one large pot/dutch oven full
2 large chicken breasts
chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use the Healthy Request/low sodium kind on both of the cream soups)
Bisquick
Milk
Salt & pepper
Boil the chicken breasts. When cooked, pour out about 1-2 cups of water and shred the chicken and put back in the pot. Add some chicken broth, probably about 2 cups (it is harder to write this down than I thought, I just do it without thinking now). Stir in the soups and add some salt and pepper. Let cook on medium for about 15 minutes (needs to be boiling). While that is cooking, make the Bisquick dumplings according to the box directions (I think it's 2 c. bisquick and 2/3 c. milk). Roll the dumplings into balls and place them on top of the boiling soup. Let cook uncovered for 10 minutes then cover and cook 10 more minutes (do not stir). Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, but the leftovers are awesome as well.
Nana's Chicken and Dumplings
Makes one large pot/dutch oven full
2 large chicken breasts
chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use the Healthy Request/low sodium kind on both of the cream soups)
Bisquick
Milk
Salt & pepper
Boil the chicken breasts. When cooked, pour out about 1-2 cups of water and shred the chicken and put back in the pot. Add some chicken broth, probably about 2 cups (it is harder to write this down than I thought, I just do it without thinking now). Stir in the soups and add some salt and pepper. Let cook on medium for about 15 minutes (needs to be boiling). While that is cooking, make the Bisquick dumplings according to the box directions (I think it's 2 c. bisquick and 2/3 c. milk). Roll the dumplings into balls and place them on top of the boiling soup. Let cook uncovered for 10 minutes then cover and cook 10 more minutes (do not stir). Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, but the leftovers are awesome as well.
Crockpot Meatball Hoagies
I got a crockpot cookbook for Christmas and I have been trying to use the crockpot more so dinner can be ready a little earlier. I made these the other night and they were super easy and very good.
Meatball Hoagies
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 jar chunky pasta sauce
Hoagies/sub bread
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Mix meat, breadcrumbs, and egg together and form into meatballs. It should make 12 good size meatballs, but you could make more if you made them smaller.
Place meatballs in bottom of crockpot and pour pasta sauce on top. I cooked mine for 6 hours on high but you could do 8 hours on low if needed.
Place meatballs in rolls and top with mozzarella cheese.
Meatball Hoagies
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 jar chunky pasta sauce
Hoagies/sub bread
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Mix meat, breadcrumbs, and egg together and form into meatballs. It should make 12 good size meatballs, but you could make more if you made them smaller.
Place meatballs in bottom of crockpot and pour pasta sauce on top. I cooked mine for 6 hours on high but you could do 8 hours on low if needed.
Place meatballs in rolls and top with mozzarella cheese.
Savory Chicken Tacos
Savory Chicken Tacos
I got this recipe in the mail from Kroger along with some coupons. It looked easy and was very good!
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded (you could just use cooked chicken if you want, but this was easy)
1 pkg. (12 oz) frozen steamable white or brown rice
1 c. shredded mexican cheese
1 can diced salsa-style fire roasted tomatoes (Kroger brand had them--remember this was a "Kroger" recipe, so they used all their own brand)
1/2 t. salt
1 c. frozen sweet corn
1 jar (16 oz.) verde enchilada sauce (again Kroger brand, but I am sure there are others)
1 pkg. crunchy taco shells or tortillas (we used tortillas and made soft tacos)
sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 450. Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
Mix all ingredients except taco shells (duh!) into a large bowl. Spread evenly into baking dish.
Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes.
Spoon into taco shells and serve with sour cream
Chris really liked this and I thought it was good as well. We decided it would also be good for nachos or on a quesadilla.
I got this recipe in the mail from Kroger along with some coupons. It looked easy and was very good!
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded (you could just use cooked chicken if you want, but this was easy)
1 pkg. (12 oz) frozen steamable white or brown rice
1 c. shredded mexican cheese
1 can diced salsa-style fire roasted tomatoes (Kroger brand had them--remember this was a "Kroger" recipe, so they used all their own brand)
1/2 t. salt
1 c. frozen sweet corn
1 jar (16 oz.) verde enchilada sauce (again Kroger brand, but I am sure there are others)
1 pkg. crunchy taco shells or tortillas (we used tortillas and made soft tacos)
sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 450. Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
Mix all ingredients except taco shells (duh!) into a large bowl. Spread evenly into baking dish.
Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes.
Spoon into taco shells and serve with sour cream
Chris really liked this and I thought it was good as well. We decided it would also be good for nachos or on a quesadilla.
Easter Then and Now
I just realized I had 2 almost identical pictures of Logan from Easter 2009 and 2010 and I thought it was so amazing how much he had changed in a year. He looks so little and "baby-like" in 2009 and suddenly in 2010 he was a little boy! How does that happen?
Easter 2009
Easter 2010
Easter 2009
Easter 2010
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Year in Pictures--Logan 2010
I got this idea from another friend's blog and I loved seeing how they changed throughout the year, so here goes!
January 2010~A mini Hugh Hefner
February 2010~Helping shovel the snow
March 2010~Logan & T-Luv at Parr Park (and the never-ending walk...)
April 2010~His 3rd birthday party
May 2010~Date night with Mommy at Chick-Fil-A
June 2010~Hanging with Chad in the pool
July 2010~July 4th with the Hoisington's at Lake Grapevine
August 2010
September 2010~1st day of Mother's Day Out @ Sprouts
October 2010~Scooby Doo
November 2010~Jacob's 4th Birthday @ the Pantego Fire Station
December 2010~Like Uncle, Like Nephew
January 2010~A mini Hugh Hefner
February 2010~Helping shovel the snow
March 2010~Logan & T-Luv at Parr Park (and the never-ending walk...)
April 2010~His 3rd birthday party
May 2010~Date night with Mommy at Chick-Fil-A
June 2010~Hanging with Chad in the pool
July 2010~July 4th with the Hoisington's at Lake Grapevine
August 2010
September 2010~1st day of Mother's Day Out @ Sprouts
October 2010~Scooby Doo
November 2010~Jacob's 4th Birthday @ the Pantego Fire Station
December 2010~Like Uncle, Like Nephew
I am in Trouble
Logan is too smart for his own good. It's scary, really. He's not even 4 yet and his logic and memory skills floor me almost daily. He negotiates like crazy and remembers EVERYTHING. My aunt has always told me that he would be difficult in school, not in a bad way, just in a way where he would get bored if he wasn't challenged enough. At first I didn't really know for sure if that was true or if she was just a bit biased about his intelligence but now I am really thinking I am in trouble. He is so aware of everything around him and is interested in learning about everything. He really wants to read now and is asking how to spell things and getting pretty good at writing his name--and he's only 3! I think that's pretty good. And scary. One example of his logic:
Tonight at dinner:
Me: If I see you put food in your cup it's going to get thrown away. Got it?
L: Yes ma'am.
*15 minutes later during dinner*
Me: *sees Logan taking his now blue quesadilla out of his drink and eating it* Logan, what did I say about you putting food in your drink?
L: But you didn't see me...
Seriously? Chris and I just stared at each other for a minute to digest the fact that he caught me on a technicality. Just when you think he really isn't listening to you, he goes and pulls this out of his little hat. I'm in for it. He's already outsmarting me and he's not even 4.
Tonight at dinner:
Me: If I see you put food in your cup it's going to get thrown away. Got it?
L: Yes ma'am.
*15 minutes later during dinner*
Me: *sees Logan taking his now blue quesadilla out of his drink and eating it* Logan, what did I say about you putting food in your drink?
L: But you didn't see me...
Seriously? Chris and I just stared at each other for a minute to digest the fact that he caught me on a technicality. Just when you think he really isn't listening to you, he goes and pulls this out of his little hat. I'm in for it. He's already outsmarting me and he's not even 4.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)