Avocado Ranch Dip

This dip I discovered by accident when I wanted to eat my standard snack: cut up avocado and tortilla chips. I decided to add some sour cream and remembered I still had some Buttermilk Ranch Dry Mix made up from the Ranch Crack Potatoes. Threw it all in a bowl and decided to try out my new Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Blender, Metallic Charcoal (Google Affiliate Ad) from Christmas. Vroom, Vroom, Vroom of the blender and done! It was great on the chips and I also spread on a bacon sandwich! Yummy!

Yields about 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 heaping tablespoons (generous dollops) sour cream (or substitute plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 tsp Buttermilk Ranch Dry Mix - MSG-Free

Directions:

Either:

1. Place all ingredients in small blender/food processor (I used my handy Cuisinart Smartstick Immersion Blender). Pulse until smooth. OR
2. Smash avocado into a creamy paste then blend with sour cream and ranch mix. Enjoy!

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Ranch Crack Potatoes

These potatoes are unbelievably great! This was the other new side dish I fixed to Christmas dinner and it got 2 thumbs up with permission to repeat anytime! Super easy to put together, and if you use the  Buttermilk Ranch Mix recipe, you can make it MSG-Free!

Ingredients:

• 32oz sour cream
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (or use 6oz bacon bits)
• 1 pkg (2 tbsp) dry ranch mix - I used Buttermilk Ranch Mix to be MSG-Free!
• 1 large bag (28-30 oz) frozen shredded hash browns

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in microwave or frying pan until done. Pat dry with paper towels and crumble once cooled.
2. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
3. Mix first 4 ingredients together in a 9x13 casserole dish. Combine hash browns into mixture and spread evenly in dish.
4. Bake for 45-60 minutes until lightly browned on the top.

Courtesy of Crack Potatoes

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Oven Roasted Garlic Green Beans

These beans are awesome! I have permission to fix these at any time for the family. They said that they even prefer these to the Green Bean Bundles (I never thought I would see the day - lol). These are even easier to prep since you don't have to deal with the bacon wrapping. Don't get me wrong, I love my little green bean bundles, but if you are short on time, these are definitely the way to go. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
• 4-5 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1-2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (6 cloves) minced garlic

Directions:

1. Wash and trim beans. Place in large (8 cup) seal-able container.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together (I used a small glass) and pour over beans. Seal container and shake to coat the beans evenly.
3. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (I left them in there for a couple of hours to marinate)
4. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Spread beans out on baking sheet in a single layer.
6. Bake for 8-12 minutes until crisp tender (depending on how well done you like your beans). 

Courtesy of Persnickety Plates

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Butterfinger Brownie Cookies

This recipe follows the Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookie Recipe but substitutes crushed Butterfingers in place of the Andes Mints. It was so good I thought I would share it as a separate recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups chopped Butterfingers candy bars (7.8 oz - 2 of the 6 packs you find on the candy aisle worked perfectly) (food processor or bag and hammer method work to obtain the chopped pieces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper/baking sheets
2. Place butter and chocolate chips in glass microwave safe bowl/measuring cup.
3. Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds, stir, then microwave an additional 15 to 20 seconds if needed until the mixture is melted and smooth. (or if you want to go old school, you can use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and butter)
4. Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.
5. Add 1 egg, stir in completely, then add the 2nd egg and stir in completely.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Blend flour mixture in the chocolate mixture.
7. Stir vigorously (or use the hand mixer on low) for 2-3 minutes until thick, glossy, and smooth. 
8. Once batter has cooled, stir in the Butterfingers.
9. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. 
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they look crackled but still soft and gooey. 
11. Transfer onto cooling rack after they have sat on cookie sheet for a few minutes to finish cooling.

Courtesy of Butterfinger Brownie Cookies

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Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Yields ~ 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 5 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 pkg Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper/baking sheets
2. Place butter and chocolate chips in glass microwave safe bowl/measuring cup.
3. Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds, stir, then microwave an additional 15 to 20 seconds if needed until the mixture is melted and smooth. (or if you want to go old school, you can use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and butter)
4. Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.
5. Add 1 egg, stir in completely, then add the 2nd egg and stir in completely.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Blend flour mixture in the chocolate mixture.
7. Stir vigorously (or use the hand mixer on low) for 2-3 minutes until thick, glossy, and smooth. 
8. Once batter has cooled, stir in the Andes Mints.
9. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. 
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they look crackled but still soft and gooey. 
11. Transfer onto cooling rack after they have sat on cookie sheet for a few minutes to finish cooling.

Inspired from Butterfinger Brownie Cookies

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Montreal Steak Seasoning - MSG-Free

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon granulated onion
• 1 tablespoon crushed coriander
• 1 tablespoon dill
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Courtesy of Chow.com

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Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hot breakfast sausage, uncooked - good luck finding a MSG-Free version :(
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups Bisquick
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (feel free to be a little on the generous side)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients until well combined.- easier to use hand or stand mixer with dough hook attachment.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls and place onto lined (I used Reynolds non-stick aluminum foil - they slid right off!) baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until brown.
5. Prepping for a party? These may be frozen if left uncooked. Just add a few minutes to the baking time.

Recipe courtesy of Plain Chicken

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Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes ~28 servings

Ingredients:

• 7 cups instant non-fat dry milk
• 1 lb confectioners sugar, sifted
• 2 cups cocoa powder, sifted twice
• 2 cups dry non-dairy creamer (french vanilla or your personal favorite will work!)
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup (or use the whole bag!) mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup (or use the whole bag!) mini white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Sift cocoa powder into a large seal-able storage container.
2. Add the rest of the dry powder ingredients and chocolate chips.
3. Place lid securely on the container and SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE! (Make sure you do a little dance while shaking)
4. Store in air tight container if you are keeping it for yourself or this makes a perfect inexpensive Christmas gift to be given in those cute little mason jars! 
5. If using as Christmas gift Mason jar: Place mix in the bottom of the jar (I would recommend measuring out in 1/3 cup intervals since this is a serving) - leave enough room for the marshmallows. Place marshmallows on top of the mix, then place the lid on the jar. Make sure you make it cute with  ribbon/fabric/tag etc!

Expiration: 1 year if kept in an air tight container

Directions for Reconstitution:

1. Place 1/3 cup mix into 8-10 ounces of hot milk. Stir until dissolved. Add marshmallows or whipped cream to the top. Then enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of my wonderful aunt! (not sure where she got it from)

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Fresh Tzatzaki Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• juice of 1 lemon (3 tbsp)
• 2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (for salting cucumbers)
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel cucumbers and slice lengthwise. Take a spoon and scoop seeds out of the middle (it should look like a little boat when you're through).
2. Cut cucumbers into 1/4" slices and place in colander.
3. Sprinkle 1 tbsp kosher salt over cucumbers and let stand for at least 30 minutes (to draw out the water).
4. Drain and wipe cucumbers with a paper towel.
5. In a food processor, place cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and black pepper. Process until well blended.
6. Blend mixture into Greek yogurt. 
7. Place into refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Courtesy of: Kayln's Kitchen

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Vegetable Gratin a la Goat Cheese

This recipe is a hybrid of 2 recipes I found online and decided to tweak a little bit. I must say the results did turn out quite tasty, especially if you like the unique tangy flavor of goat cheese. I omitted the potatoes from the original recipe because we were already having 2 carb heavy dishes in our Thanksgiving meal - feel free to add them back in if you want.

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-2 zucchini, 1/4 inch sliced
• 2-4 yellow squash, 1/4 inch sliced
• 3-4 large Roma tomatoes, 1/4 inch sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. 
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.
3. Layer ½ of the goat cheese on top of the onions.
4. Slice the zucchini, squash and tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly into a spiral, making only one layer. 
5. Season with sea salt, black pepper and dried thyme, to taste. 
6. Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
7. Pour the milk over the entire dish.
8. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Uncover and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until browned. Enjoy.

Inspired from :

• Potato, Squash, & Goat Cheese Gratin
• Vegetable Tian

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Cocktail Meatballs or Little Smokies

This is a super easy appetizer to put out at a party that is delicious! I added the lemon juice to help cut the excessive sweetness of the grape jelly - its your call.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen original meatballs or 2 packages of little smokies cocktail sausages (watch for MSG) or homemade meatballs if you are feeling adventurous!
• 2 bottles chili sauce
• 2 cups grape jelly
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Bake meatballs as directed on package (normally 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees).
2. While those are baking, combine chili sauce, grape jelly & lemon juice in a pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add meatballs and continue to simmer for the next hour. 
4. Serve with toothpicks!

• Option: combine all into crockpot and let simmer on high for an hour. (FYI - I tried this on low overnight and it burned the sausages beyond recognition; hence why the pic is of round 2 -> meatballs)

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Super Easy Banana Pudding

I love finding old recipes I had forgotten about! I came across this recipe I found back in college that I used to fix for potluck dinners for my fraternity (For those of you who are wondering: yes, it is a fraternity, and yes I'm a girl, and yes it is a co-ed professional fraternity). Any-who, I only had to collect my dish at the end of the night and not worry about leftovers (well, it would have been nice if there were a little left over). This was super easy and delicious! I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (16 oz) package vanilla wafer cookies
• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Mix well.
2. In the bottom of a glass serving dish, place a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. 
3. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
4. Refrigerate before serving.

Courtesy of: Uncooked Banana Pudding at Allrecipes

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Launching PharmCreations - an Etsy Shop

In addition to cooking, I have always had a passion for crafting and photography. The photography part I indulge in on a regular basis. Crafting inspiration (and now Pinterestspiration :) - I'm sure most of you can relate) I have gone through in spurts in the past, largely due to time constraints from work and school. 

The main reason I developed this blog was to have an online paperless resource for recipes I want to keep in my own "recipe book". Now that I have 60 published posts, I'm starting to miss have a good ole recipe book in the kitchen. I don't like printing recipes that I am fixing for the 3rd+ time; that's a waste of paper. Dragging a laptop or dealing with my phone is doable but can be frustrating as how my hands will be in raw meat and the phone turns off - grrr!!! Wash hands, turn back on/hit page down, get hands dirty again, repeat in a few minutes. 

So that got me thinking: I want a recipe book that I can add to easily and something that won't get disgusting if food gets dripped on it. Ideas start running through my head... My perfect recipe book needs to be bind-able and printable. That eliminates the old fashioned recipe box - I've always disliked those for some reason. 3 ring binders come to mind. Great idea - I can add to that, page protectors will keep the pages clean. Now to make it cute. Looking around Pinterest, I found fabric covered binders. Hmm... interesting. Why don't I check out Etsy and see what's out there for these fabric covered binders?? Cruise on over to Etsy... start checking it out... there are some great looking fabric binders that these sellers offer! Adorable!! BUT what happens if my beloved fabric covered binder is on the counter and something spills or I don't see that little puddle of water on the counter? Gross!! There's really no good way to disinfect/clean the fabric if it gets either stained or splattered with raw meat or something else that could grow bacteria. Ewww! Those thoughts turn my stomach. Ok, so what about vinyl? I can put disinfectant on that without a problem and it should wipe clean since it's waterproof. Great! Search on Etsy again...nothing really comes up. Have I come across the undiscovered country of Waterproof binders?? Surely, I'm not the only one who thinks this way about recipe books. Hmmm, the crafter in me starts thinking again. This could be dangerous. I could make this myself. 

So off to Joann's I go, to see what has surfaced in the fabric world since I have last bought fabric (Which has probably been about 5-10 years since my sewing machine has surfaced. College kept me busy most of the 2000's). Wow! I forgot how much I love that store! It was even better than I remember and the crafter in me started coming out even more. I collected a couple of sample materials to work with and returned home. In my pinterest adventures, I saw posts on how wonderful this Mod Podge stuff is for gluing/decoupage-ing/waterproofing. I had never used it in the past, but it claims to be the best thing since the invention of the wheel and Swiss cheese so I thought I would give it a whirl on some fabric. I wish I had saved the swatch of fabric I Mod Podged and submitted it to one of those Pinterest Fail sights. It was not pretty. Yeah, it may have sealed the fabric to some degree, but it was the roughest, stiffest fabric I have ever felt. It could have doubled as sandpaper. I was disappointed that the wonderful patterns of cotton fabric had not become an option for this project.Very sad. 

Onto the next experiment. I had also bought a remnant of vinyl tablecloth type material. This may work better. I grabbed some spray adhesive and went to work on adhering it to my binder. This is going great. It's smooth, waterproof, cute and cooperating! I then cut and adhered coordinating scrapbook paper to the inner cover. This looks wonderful! Now onto cover design. I got to learn more about Adobe Photoshop Elements in designing the graphic art for the front cover. Oh, the custom options are limitless! I adhered my design to the same color scrapbook paper as for a border. Hmm, how to make this waterproof. I didn't really want to get into the laminating business, that would require an even bigger investment and another trip into town. Let's try the Mod Podge again. It worked so much better on paper than fabric! Two coats dried later, I sealed it with some clear acrylic for good measure. I then adhered it to my binder. Voilà!  I was quite impressed with myself. That wasn't too bad either. Back to my original thought, the undiscovered country of waterproof binders. I could sell these. And so, PharmCreations was born! 

Take a look at my final product!

Water Resistant Fabric Covered 1 Inch 3 Ring Recipe Binder

            

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Memphis Red BBQ Sauce

I found this recipe in Taste of the South Magazine and thought I would try it out. I'm so glad I did because this sauce is delicious! The only modification I made to the original is I used dark Karo syrup instead of molasses because that is all I had in the pantry at the time. The next time we made it, we used molasses and the family agreed that it was better with the Karo syrup, so I will leave the modification in place. Feel free to make that judgement call yourself!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup dark Karo corn syrup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. 
2. Store in air tight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
3. Like most sauces, they get better with a little time. You may want to wait a few hours before enjoying this delicious sauce to let the flavors blend together.

Courtesy of Taste of the South Magazine May June 2012

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Mint Honey Lamb Skewers - Grilled!

These tasty lamb skewers were my first experience "Kabob-ing" anything. It was fun and a little time consuming prepping and skewering all of the ingredients, but in the end it was definitely worth it. The original recipe called for a reduction made with apricot preserves, the marinade and white wine. I tried to make it as instructed but turned into a nasty smelling I-don't-know-what that never made it onto the skewers. They were wonderful without it so I didn't even include it in what I made below. Happy Kabobing!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped fresh mint
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 3 lb. cubed lamb stew meat
• 1 lb pearl onions, peeled (or I used a regular sweet onion quartered)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper - rinsed, de-seeded and cut into 1 square inch pieces
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper - rinsed, de-seeded and cut into 1 square inch pieces
• 1 small container Cherry Tomatoes,  rinsed 
• 8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions:

1. In small bowl combine mint, wine, lemon juice and honey. Stir to combine.
2. In large bowl toss together lamb, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers  Add wine mixture and toss until evenly combined. Cover, and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
3. Place lamb, onions  onto bamboo skewers, alternating lamb and onions until ingredients are used. Reserve remaining marinade and set aside.
4. Grill skewers until lamb is cooked through, about 8 minutes on each side. 

Inspired from: Mint Honey Lamb Skewers

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Butter Pecan Cake Batter Cookies

I have to admit, Cake Batter Cookies may be my new obsession. Like with my Cake Ball obsession, you gotta try the variations of an awesome recipe. First was the Golden Butter Cookies,  then the Mint Chocolate Chip. Now we have moved onto Butter Pecan. I personally LOVE Butter Pecan and was excited to say these are my favorite yet. I added 1/2 cup pecan pieces in addition to the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Here's what I used:

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25oz) box Butter Pecan Cake Mix
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix and baking powder.
3. Stir in eggs & oil. Mix until well blended. 
4. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
5. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets
6. Bake 10-15 minutes (depending on size of cookie/oven).
7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Adapted from Stephanie Cooks via Six Sister's Stuff

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Zippy Ground Beef Skillet

This recipe to me is the epitome of what I wish Hamburger Helper would taste like. Granted, I'm happy to say I made this without using any canned produce. The tomatoes have been plentiful on our sole tomato plant this week. It was amazingly fresh and lighter than I was expecting. The sauce didn't thicken after cooling as much as I would have liked, but next time I'll just add a little more cornstarch.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes from my lone tomato plant!

• 2 cups uncooked small tube pasta 
• 1 pound lean ground beef 
• 3/4 cup onion, diced   
• 3/4 cup green bell pepper, diced   (I actually used Red)
• 1 (28 ounce) can or 3 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained 
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced - wear gloves 
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 2 teaspoons chili powder 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream
• 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water (for sauce thickening if needed)

Directions:

1. Start water to boil for pasta.

   

   Add Tomato

2. Dice onion, green bell pepper, & jalapeno.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
4. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. 
5. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, honey, chili powder and salt. 
6. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low; cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
7. Drain pasta; add to beef mixture. 
8. Add sour cream. 
9. Cook and stir until heated through (do not boil).

Courtesy of Jessy at Tricks Chef's

After simmering for 10 minutes

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Jalapeno Garlic Chuck Roast

(Before Cooking)

This recipe I found was originally done as a pork shoulder. I decided to change it up a little bit and use this marinade on a chuck roast instead. Don't be afraid of the jalapeno. It really wasn't spicy at all, just good flavor from the marinade. It turned out pretty tasty.

Ingredients:

• 2 jalapenos, stem removed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt-Free/MSG-Free Original Mrs Dash (or original recipe used salt)
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2.5 pounds boneless chuck roast
• potatoes and carrots (optional)

Directions: 

1. Combine jalapenos, garlic, Mrs Dash/salt and vinegar in a food processor or blender. Pulse until jalapenos and garlic are finely diced. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in olive oil.
2. Use a knife to put shallow cuts all over the chuck roast. Place the roast in a food storage bag with the marinade. Close the bag and squish the marinade around the roast to coat completely. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
4. Place the roast in a foil lined roasting pan. Pour the excess marinade over the top. Bake covered 2 to 2 1/2 hours then add potatoes and carrots. Keep an eye on the juice level - you may need to add a cup or so of water to give the vegetables something to cook in. Bake another hour or so or until vegetables and meat are tender. 

Inspired from Life's Ambrosia Jalapeno Garlic Pork Shoulder

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Copycat Sonny's Bar-B-Q Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 2 green onions
• 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shred cabbage - depending on the texture you like, use either a knife and slice into ribbons or throw it in the food processor for a finer cut. I opted for the food processor.
2. Shred carrot - if you have the food processor out already, throw the carrot in also. Or you can use a hand grater.
3. Slice green onion - thin slices
4. Toss vegetables in large mixing bowl until evenly combined. (Easiest to use your hands)
5. Whisk together mayo, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
6. Add dressing to the vegetables, toss until evenly coated.
7. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Courtesy of copycatrecipeguide.com

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Mint Chocolate Cake Batter Cookies

Now for the variations to the Cake Batter Cookies recipe. The first time I made the cake batter recipe, I  tried Butter Golden cake mix with semi-sweet chocolate chips. They had a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth soft butter cookie taste. I wanted to see if I could duplicate the yummy-ness of the Mint Chocolate Cake Ball recipe - those were reminiscent of Thin Mint cookies. I think I'm on the right track. I didn't have the Andes' Creme de Menthe Baking Chips in the pantry this time, so I had to settle to try with just the semi-sweet chocolate chips. These came out with a better than I expected Mint Chocolate cookie taste. Next time I will try the Andes Mint trick to see if that makes a big difference and update this post. I would not have a problem making this recipe again as is. This batch of cookies barely lasted 2 days in the house. I didn't hear any complaints. :) Here's what I used:

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25oz) box Butter Golden Cake Mix
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix and baking powder.
3. Stir in eggs, oil, & peppermint extract. Mix until well blended. 
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets
6. Bake 10-15 minutes (depending on size of cookie/oven).
7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Adapted from Stephanie Cooks via Six Sister's Stuff

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Cake Batter Cookies

I stumbled over this recipe and had to try it. The thought of a box of cake mix to make cookies intrigued me. I was pleasantly surprised that the recipe was super easy and very delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25oz) box cake mix of choice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or other goodies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix and baking powder.
3. Stir in eggs and oil. Mix until well blended. 
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets
6. Bake 10-15 minutes (depending on size of cookie/oven).
7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Courtesy of Stephanie Cooks via Six Sister's Stuff

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Easy Turkey Avocado Wrap

This is a ridiculously easy wrap to make if you are in a hurry or just want to change up your typical turkey sandwich. I remembered after the fact that I should have added some lettuce and tomato - if they would have fit. I got a little carried away piling on the ingredients but it was delicious as is!

Buttermilk Ranch Dry Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 8 inch tortilla of choice
• ~ 2oz sliced turkey of choice 
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp grated cheese
• ~2 tbsp ranch dressing - I reconstituted some of my Buttermilk Ranch Recipe MSG-Free
• 3 tbsp lettuce, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 small tomato, diced (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Place wrap between moistened paper towels and microwave on plate for 15-20 seconds. 
2. Place wrap directly on plate.
3. Spread ranch onto tortilla
4. Pile on turkey, cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, any other veggies you would like etc. - make sure you leave a border.
5. Wrap like a pinwheel. Enjoy!

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Corn Meal Mix - Raid the Pantry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup white sugar (optional - if you like sweet cornbread)

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients and sift/mix well. May be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

To make Cornbread or Muffins:

Mix with:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted shortening or butter.

Directions: 

1. Beat the egg, milk and melted shortening together, then add the dry ingredients.
2. Bake at 425 F in a well-greased 9x9 pan for 20-25 minutes for in well-greased muffin pans for 15-20 minutes.

Adapted from: Cheap Cooking.com - Corn Meal Mix

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Taco Seasoning Mix - MSG-Free

Yet another great way to control how you cook!

Yields 1 1.25oz taco seasoning mix pack (7 tsp total if you use the salt)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Courtesy of: Accidental Mommies

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Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

THE SAUCE:

• 1 "can" of prepared red enchilada sauce
• I prepared a packet of my Dry Enchilada Mix with 1 cup water and 8 oz low sodium tomato sauce. Heat until sauce thickens.
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Chicken Broth 
• I used broth I had frozen from a previous recipe - see Homemade Chicken Stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro 
• I used cilantro I had frozen from a previous recipe - see Freezing Herbs

Enchilada Sauce Reconstitution

THE MEAT:

• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef or Chuck (I prefer chuck)
• 1 whole Medium Vidalia/sweet Onion, Finely Diced
• 1 can (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies

 THE TORTILLAS:

• 8-10 whole (to 14) Corn or Flour Tortillas (I prefer taco-sized flour)

FOR ASSEMBLAGE:

• 3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup Chopped Black Olives (optional)
• 1 cup Chopped Green Onions (optional)



Sauce Prep

• 1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro (optional - sprinkle on after baking)

Preparation Instructions 

1. Prepare the Dry Enchilada Mix - Follow the reconstitution directions 
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together oil and flour until a paste forms and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in enchilada sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, & pepper. Bring to a boil. 
4. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, as you are waiting for the sauce to begin to boil, start on the meat.
6. Finely dice onion and add to skillet. Add meat to skillet and brown over medium heat.

   

   Meat Prep

7. Drain off fat in a large colander and return meat to skillet.
8. Stir in diced green chilies to meat/onion mixture.
9. Stir in about 1/2 cup of red sauce to the meat.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13" casserole dish.
11. Assemble tortillas:
1. Place tortilla on work surface and spoon in 3-4 tbsp of meat mixture.
2. Cover the beef with a large tablespoon of cheese (&/or optional black olives & green onions), then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada.
3. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining beef, cheese and tortillas. 
4. You will use about 1 & 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. 
5. Pour the remaining enchilada mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
12. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top.

Inspired by The Pioneer Woman's Enchiladas

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Dry Enchilada Sauce Mix - MSG-Free

Yields 1 1.5oz package of dry mix

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons mild chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Reconstitution

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

• To Reconstitute: 

1. Add 1 cup water or chicken broth and 8 oz tomato sauce to dry mix.
2. Simmer over medium heat until sauce thickens.

Courtesy of: The Inspired Budget

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Pina Colada

A tropical standard! Serves 4.
Ingredients:

• 4 oz (1 part) light rum
• 4 oz (1 part) cream of coconut
• 12 oz (3 parts) pineapple juice
• 1 small can pineapple chunks in water/own juices (if desired for taste/texture)
• Crushed ice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender. I used the frozen drink option on my Oster Fusion Blender.
2. Blend at high speed until smooth
3. Serve in a tropical glass and add a decorative straw/umbrella
4. Enjoy!

Modified from recipe for Pina Colada found on Coco Lopez(TM) Cream of Coconut can. 

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Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles

Take advantage of local produce, especially during the summer! These wonderful refrigerator dill pickles are so refreshing! Another great way to control what goes into your diet.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 small pickling cucumbers, quartered into spears
• 1/8-1/4 sweet or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced, depending on how strong you want the onion flavor
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, mashed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dill seed
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Pack speared cucumbers in a quart, wide-mouth Ball/Mason jar.
2. Put onion slices, garlic and bay leaf on top and in between spears.
3. In a bowl combine remaining ingredients and mix until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour over cucumbers.
4. Close jar tightly and put in refrigerator for at least 24 hours. 
5. Eat and enjoy!

• Suggestion for multiple jars: repeat step 3 separately for each jar to get a more uniform flavor in jar.
• Note: Pickles are good for at least 1 week (the expire when they lose crispness or start to smell different)

Courtesy of my friend Caitlin

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Blackberry Cobbler (seedless)

Sorry for the lag time between posts! Life got busy, summer happened, vacations to be taken etc. Blah, blah, blah. Well, I'm back now and I hope to continue on with more delicious recipes, especially now that summer produce is in full swing!

This recipe is for those of you who don't like picking seeds out of your teeth when you eat blackberries! I made a seedless version of this wonderful blackberry cobbler I found over on allrecipes.com. I broke out the juicer and juiced 6 cups worth of beautiful, locally grown blackberries. Since the juicer did a better job of pulling out the pulp that I originally thought it would, I took the pulp/seeds mixture left after the juicing process and put it in a medium hand strainer. I placed the strainer over a small mixing bowl. I took a pestle (part of the mortar/pestle set you may have to grind herbs) and pushed the pulp through the strainer to yield another 1/2 cup of blackberry liquid. This cobbler has great flavor but did turn out more on the 'cake-y' side, compared to other cobblers I've made in the past. I contribute this to using the pulverized blackberries vs whole berries. 

Blackberry pulp/seeds in strainer

 Ingredients:

What was left of the 2 quarts

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 cups fresh blackberries
  
  • either use whole berries or
  • juice them as above: 6 cups fresh=3 1/2 cups juice/pulp
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. 
2. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with the cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Place the blackberries into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with 1/4 cup of melted butter. 
4. Sprinkle with the cornstarch mixture, and stir/toss to evenly coat. 
5. Spread the berries into the prepared baking dish. 
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended. 
7. Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, and 1/4 cp melted butter until combined but still slightly lumpy. 
8. Pour the batter over the berries.
9. Bake in the preheated oven 55-60 minutes, until crust is golden brown/the berries are tender (if still whole).

 Courtesy of: Baron's Blackberry Cobbler at allrecipes.com

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