Small Peanut Butter Trifles

Ingredients:
Brownie mix
1/3 cup oil
1/3 water
1 egg
1 box vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tub Cool Whip
Mini Reeses

Instructions:
Make the brownies as directed on the box using the egg, oil, and water (change the measurements as according to the box). Let cool.
Mix pudding and milk. Then add peanut butter and mix well.
Crumble up the brownies and add to the cup about a 1/3 of the way. Then add peanut butter pudding. Top with Cool Whip.
Chop Reeses into fours and toss on top of the Cool Whip.
I put it in the fridge for about 5 mins.
It is that simple.

Personal Shepherd's Pie

Its easy enough and the kiddo loved them. It was actually fun for her to eat. My husband loved them too. He thought it was kind of like eating a pot pie with shepherd's pie inside. Plus, the idea that these can be picked up and eaten made them go fast.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup frozen corn
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup canned beef gravy
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
2 boxes (4 rolls) pre-made pie crust
8 slices American cheese, quartered

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two (or three) baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cook the ground beef and onions in a medium-size sauté pan over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the meat is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While the beef is cooking, add the potatoes and carrots to a small saucepot. Cover the veggies with slightly salted water and boil until they’re cooked through, but not mushy, about 3–5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Add the beef, onions, carrots, potatoes, peas, corn, Worcestershire sauce, and gravy into a medium-size mixing bowl. Fold together and set aside.
Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl; set aside.
On a lightly floured work surface, unroll one of the pie crusts. Using a 3-1/2″–4″ biscuit cutter, cut five rounds. Repeat with the remaining rolls of dough.
On half of the rounds, place a generous Tbsp of filling in the center, leaving a 1/2″ border. Stack two quarters of the American cheese on top of the filling. Then, using a pastry brush, apply the egg wash on the border of the crust. Place an empty round on top and seal the edges together with a fork.
Place the pies on the papered baking sheets and brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

This recipe went well. I think I will egg wash the whole top next time. Also I had no biscuit cutter so I used a large mug and cut around it.

Simple Orangle Dreamsicle cake

I have found many different ways to make this cake. This is probably the simplest.

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix (and what is needed to make the cake so 3 eggs And 1/3 cup oil)
2 pkg of Orange Jello
1 pkg of vanilla pudding
1 cup milk (for the pudding)
1 tub of Cool Whip

Instructions:
First make cake as directed in a 9x9 square pan. Let it cool completely.
Poke wholesale throughout the cake. I used the handle of my spoon since it round and about the size of my finger. An end of a small wooden spoon may work well.
Then prepare 1 box of the Orange jello. Then pour over the top of your cake. Make sure you pour evenly and in all the wholesale you made.
Then cover the cake and put it in the fridge for 4 hours.
Then make the pudding with the milk. Then add the last package of Jello straight into the pudding mixture. Stir together well.
Then fold in the Cool Whip. Once the topping is all mixed then spread on top of your cake.
I topped it with some orange zest and a few orange slices.

Tortellini, basil, and fire roasted tomatoes soup

Sorry I've been MIA for so long. Life got busy, tablet broke, and my daughter started school full time.
Anyway, I have a new easy dinner recipe for you.
Tortellini, basil, and fire roasted tomatoes soup.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic
1-quart chicken broth
6 oz. fresh or frozen tortellini
14 oz. canned diced fire roasted tomatoes with their liquid
10 oz. spinach, washed and stemmed; coarsely chopped
8 – 10 leaves of basil, coarsely chopped
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Add the tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 minutes for frozen tortellini, and just a minute or two if using fresh.
Add the tomatoes and their liquid, reduce the heat to simmer and cook just until the pasta is tender.
Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

New Kitchen Toy!

Early this month was my birthday, I turned the big 3-0. As a gift, my parents gave me a food processor. So today I made the Chicken Bruschetta Pasta from Pampered Chef. It really made this recipe a million times easier. No more fine chopping, I can add the tomatoes in the wedges the recipe suggests.

Husband is listing off all the things he wants me to make with the processor. He wants a pesto sauce and home made salsa. I guess you can watch for those recipes when I find out what works.

Pot Stickers and Chow Mien

I love those frozen pot stickers you find at the whole sale food stores. I snack on those things like I'm getting paid to. I always wondered how hard could it be to make them myself. So I gave it a shot.
The pot stickers.......
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
1/3 cup chopped green onion (4 medium)
2 teaspoons chopped gingerroot
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1small red bell pepper, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1egg white
1package (10 ounces) round wonton skins
2 cups chicken broth
4 teaspoons soy sauce
Mix all ingredients except wonton skins, broth and soy sauce.
Brush each wonton skin with water. Place slightly less than 1 tablespoon chicken mixture on center of skin. Pinch 5 pleats along edge of half of circle. Fold circle in half over chicken mixture, pressing pleated edge to unpleated edge. Repeat with remaining skins and chicken mixture.
Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Cook 12 pot stickers at a time in skillet about 3 minutes or until light brown; turn. Add 1/2 cup of the broth and 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook about 1 minute longer or until liquid had evaporated. Repeat with remaining pot stickers, broth and soy sauce.
The Chow Mien....
Ingredients
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 (5.6 oz) packages refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of the grocery store)
2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cabbage
In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.
Remove Yaki Soba from packages and discard included flavoring packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.
Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.
Toss Yaki Soba noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.
It was so easy to make both the pot stickers and the chow mien. I am going to have to try both again with some changes. First, although I found the pot stickers tasty, I found them soggy as well. Either I did something wrong or I need a different recipe to suit my taste. Also in the chow mien I used Napa cabbage. It worked great in the pot stickers but just didn't taste well in the chow mien. I might try using bok choy next time.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I hope all you moms out there are enjoying your day!

I received a beautiful piece of art by my daughter. It was a lovely portrait of me. Hubby cooked a delicious breakfast and even cleaned up after himself. He bought me roses and a card. I have gotten so many wonderful hugs and kisses from my daughter and its only 10:30 am. I will be going to my own mother's house in a few hours. Then we will come home again for dinner. Hubby is making dinner tonight as well.

I need to start getting ready so I will have to cut this short. Enjoy your mother's day!