Pumpkin Pancakes

You can also do this with French Toast! It's so good the only topping you need is butter and whip cream!

Your Fav Pancake Recipe!
My kids like the Krusteaz, just add water stuff. I like it to because it's easy.
A spoon full of Can Pumpkin.
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Allspice
Whip Cream
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Make your pancakes, Add pumpkin and spices to your liking! They take just a little bit longer to cook then regular pancakes because of the density but SOOO worth the wait.
Butter when they come off and top with whip cream and graham cracker crumbs. The graham cracker crumbs were Isaac's idea. when he first asked for crackers on his pancakes I told him he was silly, but figured what the heck...we'll give it a shot and it turned out awesome! Like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast!

Variation - Pumpkin French Toast
Add pumpkin and spices to your egg mixture and cook. I like to cook these low and slow because the pumpkin makes these super thick and yummy!!

Festive Cupcakes

This was a super easy, Super fun treat for the boys to help me with! All you need is:

1 Box Chocolate (or your fav flavor) Cake mix

1 Container chocolate Frosting

1 pkg white Fondant

Food Coloring

Make cupcakes, Frost Cupcakes, Color Fondant to your desired color, roll out, cut out and decorate!

Hot Chocolate!

I LOVE Hot Chocolate! How much?! This much! This is the best hot chocolate I've EVER had (next to my dad's Mexican hot chocolate)

1 c. Marshmallows

1/4 c. Cocoa

1/4 c Sugar

3 3/4 c. Milk (I don't use 4 c. because I like to cool it down once in mug with cold milk especially since I have small ones)

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt Marshmallows into Milk, cocoa, cinnamon, and sugar. remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour in to mug 3/4 full add milk to cool down. If desired add extra Mallows on top!

The NEW Baby Cassarole!

Sometimes I amaze myself! A Gal in our ward just had a baby and I was asked to bring her dinner! I love doing stuff like this so I very willingly accepted this opportunity to serve. I racked my brain of all the things I could make, chicken noodle casserole, spaghetti, lasagna....you know the usual "congrats you had a baby, here's some dinner" meals. Well I decided that I would make something that you usually don't get when you have a baby. I decided to be brave and make something that was a little special! I made a creamy chicken pesto casserole! Woah!! I know!! So here is how I did it!

4 chicken tenders

1 box whole grain rotini pasta

2 pkgs creamy pesto mix. (I use Knorr brand)

1 8oz ball of mozzarella cheese

cook pasta according to pkg directions and drain, place chicken tenders (mine were frozen) on baking pan and cook for 20-30 mins until completely done. When done, remove from oven and cut into cubes. add to noodles. Mix up pesto sauce according to pkg directions and pour over noodles and chicken. Pour into a 9x13 *dish! Top with mozzarella cheese that you've "Crumbled" (more or less broken into pieces. I suppose if you wish you could grate it")
*Glad makes these AWESOME oven safe containers! Makes it SOOO easy to take dinner to your friends because you, and more importantly THEY don't have to worry about getting the dish back to you!

Add a note on top to give baking directions which are Bake at 350 for 30 mins and let it sit for 5 mins. I was feeling particularly clever at the moment to I went the distance! Here's what my note says. Feel free to adopt this!

Welcome Sebastian Lehi Boyer!!!

I know life is CrAZy
But don't you fret
cuz when it comes to dinner
I've got you all set!
Into the over is all that it takes
350 for 30 is all that it bakes!
When the cheese is all melted
Just let it set 5
Then into this meal
Your family can dive!

I added a note about the pan at the bottom because you have to put those Glad containers on a cookie sheet or the oven will melt the pan. I also added that they need not worry about returning it to me!

Try it! You'll like it! And so will your friends!

Baby Friendly Fancy Fakeout

Even my 1 yr old loved this one!

1/2 box of Rotini pasta

2-3 Tbl Sun dried Tomato Paste

3 Sun dried tomatoes (not in oil)

1 Tbl Butter

Cook pasta to your liking. The last minute of cooking time add sun dried tomatoes. Drain pasta and put back into pot. add butter and tomato paste. cut up tomatoes and toss with pasta. Enjoy!

LIGHT-AS-AIR MEATBALLS in CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

A few weeks ago I made these light, tasty meatballs and the creamy tomato sauce for some girlfriends of mine. One friend was down with a thrown back, another requested some of my cooking as payment for a haircut for my daughter. They (and their families) loved this dish! I made it all again tonight and thought of Sonya's invitation to contribute to her blog. So here's my first contribution to Sizzlin Sonya!

I found a similar recipe on the 99 Cent Chef website and modified it.

LIGHT-AS-AIR MEATBALLS

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground pork (pork sausage)
1 6 oz. package spinach (chop it coarsely, or tear it a bit)
1 egg
1/2 bell pepper (optional) chopped
1 onion chopped
1 stalk celery (optional) chopped
2 tbsp. crushed garlic
2-3 slices toasted bread
2 tbsp. Italian herbs, fresh or dried, including basil, oregano and parsley

Saute the pepper, onion, and celery in frying pan till just tender. Add spinach till wilted.

Meanwhile, mix both ground meats with egg, garlic, spices, and crumbled toasted bread (tonight I had to use bread crumbs and a corn bread muffin - cooking is an ART. Don't be afraid to color outside the lines!). Add the sauteed veggies to the meat mix. Combine. Form into meatballs - any size you wish. Cook on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (or till cooked through). These meatballs are so delicate and fluffy that cooking them in a fry pan seems too rough to me. They'd likely break apart. When they're done put them in a bowl and keep the drippings on the pan.

CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

1/2 cup cooking wine (any kind - white or red or burgundy...or maybe some balsamic vinegar if you refuse to cook with wine)
2 tsps Worcester Sauce
Meatball drippings
1 can diced tomatoes
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
1 small can tomato paste
(may add whole or 2% milk if needed to thin sauce)
Fresh or dried Italian spices, especially basil, also Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano)

In the frying pan used for the sauteed vegetables add the cooking wine and the Worcester sauce and boil for a minute or two. Add all the meatball drippings from the cookie sheet. Add canned and fresh tomatoes, cream, tomato paste, spices, and milk (if needed - I used about 3/4 of a cup tonight, maybe more).

Heat through and serve over meatballs.

We served this with angel hair pasta, a fresh green romaine and spinach salad, and garlic bread. It's also great over rice or other pastas.

Laughing Brownies

3/4 C. White sugar
1/4 C. Powdered sugar
1/3 C. cocoa
1/3 C. Melted butter
2 Unbeaten eggs
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1 t. Vanilla
12 Bite size or 6 fun size Snickers Frozen! (get it...cuz their laughing brownies)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 8x8 pan.
In a bowl mix sugars and cocoa
Add melted butter and mix
Stir in eggs and vanilla
Add salt, flour, and baking powder
Stir in snickers and bake at 350 for 25-30 mins.
Let cool for 15-20 mins.
Cut and enjoy!

Chick 'N Pea Pasta

*Sorry about the name Mom. It's the one I just kept coming back to!* LoL!!

1 lb of bow-tie pasta (Farfalle)

6 Chicken Tenders

1 box frozen peas

1/2 small onion chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1 c. ricotta cheese

2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp dried bay leaves (2 fresh bay leaves)

1 tsp dried mint (4-5 fresh mint leaves) (1 small drop peppermint extract)

Boil Pasta. Salt and pepper chicken and bake in 350 degree oven for 15-20 mins. In a saute pan cook onion and garlic till soft. Add peas and 1 c. chicken stock. simmer for 5 mins. CAREFULLY pour pea mixture into a blender or food processor. Blend till it looks like a sauce, adding chicken stock as needed to thin it out. Pour pea sauce into a bowl and add ricotta cheese, chopped mint and bay leaves. When chicken is done remove from oven and cut into bite size pieces, add to sauce. add pasta. if sauce is still to thick, add chicken stock (or milk if you ran out of chicken stock) and serve.

Carribean Chicken Salad and Drink

I made this meal for my mommy for Mother's day and everyone loved it. I liked it so much that I made it again the next night! This is a new "go-to" summer meal for our family.
2-3 Chicken Tenders per salad
Teriyaki marinade
1 bag of mixed salad greens
1 8oz Pineapple chunks
Tortilla Chips

Salsa:
2 tomatoes chopped
1/4 onion
1-2 tsp. Cilantro minced
1 lime

Salad dressing:
1/4 c Dijon Mustard
1/3 c Honey
1 1/2 Tbl Vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbl Apple cider Vinegar
1 1/2 tsp (1/2 lime) Lime juice

Marinate Chicken in Teriyaki sauce at least 2 hrs. Chop tomato, onion, and cilantro, combine in bowl with 1/2 lime of lime juice and zest. cover and refrigerate. In a bowl (I used a cereal bowl) mix, honey, mustard, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, the other 1/2 of lime juice and zest. whisk till combined and refrigerate. Cook chicken (bake it, grill it, fry it. Don't care how, just cook it). On your plate put Salad greens, salsa, chicken, dressing and chips.

Tropical Drink
2-3 c Cold Water
1 tub (the kind that makes 2 qts) Crystal light Lemonade
46 oz Pineapple juice
1-2 tsp Grenadine per glass

Mix water and lemonade, then add pineapple juice and chill. Pour into glass then add grenadine and pineapple skewer. Stir before drinking.

Pork Loin with Roasted Raspberry Chipoltle Sauce

Don't get intimidated by the name! It's not as complicated as it sounds. I got the sauce when I was down at my Gramas. She had an extra bottle and I loved it so she sent it home with me. It has a smokey, sweet and spicy kind of taste to it. My 2 yr old LOVED it!! I made it for 3 ppl (well 2 1/2 because we have a toddler) but can easily be doubled for more.

1 Pork Loin

Salt and Pepper

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (I use a bottled sauce) *thanks Grama*

1 bag steam fresh rice with veggies

Place pork loin in a baking dish, just find one that fits. Sprinkle with S&P. Cover and bake at 325-350 for 45 mins, turn over and spread a thin layer of sauce over and return to oven covered, for 30-45 mins or until done. Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 10-15 min. Cook steam fresh rice according to pkg directions. (Mine is 4 mins in the microwave). When rice is done, dump on plate, slice pork loin into 1/4 -1/2 in. slices, line on plate and pour extra sauce over top!

*I'm not sure how to make this a meat free meal, sorry

Traveling Cookies

We recently made a trip down to California (a 7.5 hr drive) so I made these cookies and my family LOVES them! Not as much as the Chocolate chip ones (recipe coming) but they were really good and held up the jostling of traveling really well.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup sweetened coconut

½ cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons honey

½ tablespoon baking soda

2 tablespoons water

Combine flour, oats and coconut. In a medium saucepan melt butter then add sugar, and honey to saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 2 mins. In a small bowl (I used a 1/4 c. measuring cup.) dissolve baking soda in water. After sugar, honey and butter have boiled 2 mins pour Baking soda/water mixture in to saucepan. Do this away from your face and OFF the heat!! It will bubble up and turn a caramel color. Stir until the bubbles subside and then add to flour, oats and coconut. Mix until combined. Roll into 1-1/4 inch balls and place on a LINED cookie sheet. Your cookie sheet MUST be lined with either greased tin foil or parchment paper (if using paper you don't need to grease it). Bake at 325 for 12 mins. Let cookies stand for a min or two to set before removing onto a cooling rack.

I would suggest rolling all the balls on to 2 sheets of foil or parchment, that way when the cookies come out of the oven you can pull the lining with the cooked cookies off and slide the new one on to put right into the oven.

These cookies have a sort of caramel taste to them. They are very good and even my 2 yr old loved them!

From Isaac

I had to post it not as a serious recipe but more as my life a as a mom! This is recipe comes straight from my little bud, Isaac!
Cumin PB toast and Milk
2 pieces of toast topped with Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
1 Sippy cup of milk
1 Container Cumin
2 Shelves

Take toast, Put peanut butter sides together to make a peanut butter toast sandwich. Sprinkle Cumin onto shelves until you get caught and it's taken away. Place peanut butter toast sandwich on 1st shelf and your milk on the other. Enjoy!

No Spoons Allowed Taco Soup

1 can (16oz) Refried Beans
" Black Beans (Drained and rinsed)
" Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
1 3/4 C. Chicken Broth (14 oz Can)
1 1/2 C. Frozen Corn (1 can)
1/2 C. Salsa
1/2 C. Water
1 Tbl. Cumin
1 lb. Hamburger (4 Chicken Tenders Cubed)
2 C. Shredded cheese (8 oz. pkg. Mexi blend)
Toppings (optional):
Frito Chips
Sour Cream

In a Soup Pot (mine is 4 qt.) Brown Hamburger (or cook chicken). Add chicken broth, tomatoes and Refried beans. Break up tomatoes and stir in beans with a wooden spoon. Add black beans, corn, salsa,water and cumin. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in cheese to melt. Serve with chips, sour cream.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

30-45 Mins

*These are approximate measurements. I don't measure anything*

1/2 box Whole Grain Pasta

1 can Tuna

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

2 c. Frozen peas

1 Tbl Lemon pepper

1 c. Bread crumbs

1-2 Tbl Parm Cheese

1 Tbl Butter, melted

Cook pasta and drain. Add Cream of chicken soup and thin with milk till desired consistency. Add Lemon pepper, drained tuna and peas. stir. Pour into 8x8 casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, and melted. Sprinkle over pasta and bake for 15-20 mins, or until hot all the way through.