Boiled Peanuts

If you are like me I know what you are thinking, Boiled Peanuts, what the heck is that! My parents went on a trip to Colorado and on their trip they had lunch in some small place that served Boiled Peanuts. They said they were amazing! After doing some research we found out that Boiled Peanuts are popular in the South so for someone like me who hasn’t traveled much in the South I have never heard of much less consumed these tasty treats!

All my mom could talk about were these Boiled Peanuts and when she found raw peanuts at her local farmers market she was on the hunt to find a recipe. Now there are lots of recipes out there but after some trial and error we made one that suits out taste buds. We also boil them in the crockpot but you could do it on the stove as well.

 

I like to eat these warm but my mom doesn’t mind eating them cold. The peanuts become soft and salty and are a big mess to eat but they taste amazing!

 

Boiled Peanuts

~ 4 Tbsp. salt

~ 5 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

~ 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (to make spicier add more)

~ 2 lbs raw peanuts in their shell

1. Rinse off peanuts and place in crock pot.

2. Fill crock pot with water and then add salt, Old Bay, and cayenne pepper.

3. Turn crock pot on high and boil peanuts all day or until they reach the desired softness.

4. Drain and enjoy warm. Store in the refrigerator for a few days.

 

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Boiled Peanuts

Crockpot Steak and Gravy

Even though it is summer it seems like things have been crazier than ever and getting dinner ready can be a challenge some nights. Swim team practice and swim lessons in the evenings means we aren’t getting home till dinner and after setting on a pool deck in 105 degree weather the last thing I want to do is make dinner. That is why I love my crockpot, get everything ready in the morning and come home to dinner cooked in the evening. Also great in the summer because it doesn’t heat up your house like the stove or oven do.

Now our family has lots of favorite Crock Pot meals like Crock Pot Beef Pot Roast, Crock Pot Black Bean and Corn Chicken, and Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwich’s. Sometimes you need something new and something even easier than the others. That is why I was super excited to find this recipe over at Favorite Family Recipes. It only has 3 ingredients if you don’t count water and it was so easy I think my 7 year old could of pulled together dinner. Whip up some of The Pioneer Woman’s Mashed potatoes and dinner is served!

 

Crockpot Steak and Gravy

~ 2-3 lbs top sirloin steak or London broil, sliced think

~ 2 packets brown gravy mix

~ 1 packet Au Jus mix

~ 2 1/2 cups water

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook 8-10 hours on low. Serve over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

One Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

I don’t know about you but I love when I meal cooks in one pot, that means less dishes and a faster clean up! Plus for me it seems like dinner is a bit easier when I am only dealing with one pot or pan. Things don’t get burnt and everything is done at the same time. So I was super excited to find this recipe while I was wasting time on pinterest. It was over at No.2pencil and a great find!

Super simple to throw together for a tasty weeknight dinner. Plus there was enough left over for dinner the next night!

 

One-Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

~ 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken thighs since that was what I had on hand), diced into bite sized pieces

~ 3 Tbsp. olive oil

~ 1 small yellow onion diced

~ 1 cup of uncooked rice

~ 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

~ 1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

~ 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

~ 1/2 tsp. chili powder

~ 1 tsp. cumin

~ 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth

~ 2 cups shredded cheese

~ salt and pepper

~ fresh diced tomatoes

~ diced green onions

~ sour cream

~ guacamole

 

1. Start by sauteing onions in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until they start to soften.

2. Season diced chicken with 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper. I used some cilantro lime salt I got from a friend, it was amazing!

3. Add chicken to pan and cook over medium high heat until chicken has started to brown.

4. Move chicken to one side of pan, in the other side of the pan add an additional Tbsp. olive oil and saute uncooked rice for about 2 minutes or just until some grains start to turn brown.

5. Stir in black beans, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic powder, chili powder and cumin.

6. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low.

7. Cook about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

8. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

9. Sprinkle with cheese, recover and let set for 2-3 minutes off of the heat to melt the cheese.

10. Garnish with fresh tomatoes, green onions, sour cream and guacamole.

 

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One Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal

Things have changed quite a bit around here for my family and I. I went from being a stay at home mom to being a working mom. With all of these changes I have been trying to keep from falling into not cooking and instead picking up something or pulling something out of the freezer. Breakfast is especially hard for me. I never seem to have time to get anything so I usually end up not eating even though I know that is not good for me. I was so happy to find this recipe and on top of that it tastes great!

My daughter and I love the raspberry vanilla one shown above but my husband makes a different concoction. Since these are single serving you can make what you like best. Once you get the method down you can change it up to fit what you like or are looking for. I found this recipe over at The Yummy Life and she has a whole list of Refrigerator Oatmeal recipes. I really want to try the Cinnamon Apple recipe.

Remember to play around with the flavors use milk, soy milk, or almond milk. Change it up with Greek yogurt, full fat yogurt or low fat yogurt. Also switch up the yogurt flavor vanilla, plain, or strawberry. The possibilities are really endless. Best thing is that you can make a few days worth the night before, I really think they taste better if they have sat for at least 12 hours before you enjoy them but you can keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 

Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal

~ 1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats

~ 1/3 cup milk

~ 1/4 cup yogurt

~ 1 tsp. dried chia seeds

~1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

~ 1 Tbsp. raspberry jam

~ 1/4 to 1/3 cup raspberries cut in half, or enough to fill jar (optional)

1. In a half pint jar, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, vanilla, and raspberry jam. Put lid on jar and shake until well combined or just stir with a spoon. Then add raspberries and stir until mixed throughout. Place lid on jar and refrigerate overnight or as long as 2-3 days. Eat chilled.

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Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal

Christmas Cookies

It is that time of the year, the time for Christmas Cookies. I love baking cookies all year round, however during the holidays it is always great to make lots of cookies and deliver handmade cookies to those special people in your lives. Nothing is better than a cookie (or maybe a few) and some warm cocoa (or coffee) while you are all snuggled up under a blanket on the couch. Here is a list of all the cookies that I have shared on my blog. However below is a few of my all time favorites.

 

Thumprint cookies have been my favorite since I was a child. I remember making these for a Girl Scout Bake Off one year all by myself.

 

Chocolate Crackles are also a cookie that I remember having around the holidays. The best thing about these cookies is rolling the dough in powdered sugar or even better having your kids help you with that.

 

Recently I made these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and they became a huge hit in our house immediately. Now when I say I am making cookies my husband asks if I am making these.

 

Peanut Butter & Nutella Swirl Cookies will surly be a favorite in your house. Peanut Butter and Nutella just seem like they were made for each other and these cookies will not disappoint.

 

You can’t go wrong with a twist on an old classic, Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies. These cookies are so soft and moist and honestly in my opinion are the best chocolate chip cookies ever!

What ever cookies you make this year I hope that you have fun making them, enjoy eating them, and share them with someone special.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

I am sure that you have all seen this recipe floating around on Pinterest. I know because that is how I found it. You know the one that says my husband asked me to make this 5 times while he was eating it. I am always skeptical of things that explode all over Facebook or Pinterest but decided to give this a try. I was pleasantly surprised that this recipe was amazing. Might have been a bit to spicy for the kids but my husband and I loved it. You can find this recipe over at kevin & amanda. It also tasted great the next day as leftovers, always a plus in my book.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

~ 1 Tbsp. olive oil

~ 1 lb. smoked sausage

~ 1 1/2 cups diced onion

~ 2 cloves garlic, minced

~ 2 cups chicken broth

~ 1 10 oz. can of Ro-Tel, mild

~ 1/2 cup heavy cream

~ 8 oz. penne pasta

~ 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, each

~ 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

~ 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

1. Add olive oil a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add broth, Ro-Tel, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in Jack cheese. Top with scallions and serve.

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Spicy Sausage Pasta

Pasta Fagioli

Now that the weather is starting to get a bit cooler my family and I want warm soup or other comfort foods for dinner. I am always game to try something new so we don’t get stuck in that dinner rut. So when I saw this recipe over at Skinny Taste I knew we would have to give it a try. The family loved it and my husband ate on it for a few days since he was carbo loading before his marathon.

Pasta Fagioli

~ 1 Tbsp. olive oil

~ 1/2 onion, diced

~ 3 cloves garlic, chopped

~ 1 celery stalk, chopped

~  1 carrot, finely chopped

~ 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans

~ 15 oz. can tomato sauce

~ 1 large bay leaf

~ 1 Tbsp. basil

~ 1 Tbsp. parsley

~ 1 tsp. oregano

~ 2 (14 oz. each) cans chicken broth

~ 2 cups water

~ salt and pepper to taste

~ 6 oz. dry Ditalini pasta or other small pasta

~ grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

1. In a deep pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add chicken broth, water, tomato sauce, celery, carrots, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.

4. Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese.

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Pasta Fagioli

Sloppy Joes

Are you a fan of the can of Sloppy Joe mix? If you answered yes or no you will love this homemade recipe. I have never been a fan of the can stuff, it always had a weird taste to me. My husband loves it! After I made this recipe my husband now has a new favorite Sloppy Joe recipe and for me this version doesn’t have a weird taste. Instead it has a layer of flavor that you can’t get from a can. The recipe I used is The Pioneer Woman’s recipe and what I love about it is you can control the heat. Make it as hot or mild as your little heart desires.

Sloppy Joes

~ 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef

~ 1/2 of a large onion, diced

~ 1 whole green bell pepper, diced

~ 5 cloves of garlic

~ 1 1/2 cup ketchup

~ 1 cup water

~ 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

~ 2 tsp. chili powder (more to taste)

~ 1 tsp. dry mustard

~ 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more to taste)

~ Worcestershire sauce, to taste

~ 2 Tbsp. tomato paste (optional)

~ Tabasco sauce (optional; to taste)

~ salt to taste

~ fresh ground black pepper, to taste

~ rolls

1. Add ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat. Cook until brown then drain most of the fat off.

2. Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

3. Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Tate and adjust seasonings as needed.

4. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls and top with a slice of cheese. Enjoy!

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Sloppy Joes

You’ve Been BOOed!

One of my favorite things about teaching was the excitement and anticipation that came with every holiday. Every holiday there was always something new and exciting to be done and the kids loved every moment of it.

At our school the teachers would BOO other classrooms. They would leave a decorated basket with enough treats for the entire class by your classroom door. The class would find it and enjoy the treats then you would go BOO another class. So that everyone got BOOed you would hang a sign out side of your class saying that You’ve Been BOOed. It was all done in secret and was such a fun way to start getting ready for Halloween.

One year out neighbors even started this and I remember the kids from down the street rang our door bell and left us some homemade cookies for us to enjoy. We only had a baby at the time but we had so much fun finding another house to go BOO.

This year I began the BOOing in our neighborhood. I found some cute Halloween buckets at Target and stuffed them with glow sticks and a candy corn/pumpkin candy mix.

I also included a copy of a cute little poem that tells you how to play that I found over at Centsational Girl.

You also have to include a copy of the We’ve been BOO’ed sign that they are to hang in their window or on their front door so that others know that they have been BOO’ed. I found this one over at Printables by Colette.

Once you have it all ready to go the fun begins. You take the kids out and you leave it on the doorstep, ring the bell, and then get away before they open the door. BOOing someone else is always kept a secret!

My kids had so much fun delivering these and now they are anxiously awaiting their chance to get BOOed.

If these weren’t cute enough head on over to It’s Written on the Wall and check out 16 versions of You’ve Been BOOed!

Hope everyone has great fun being BOOed and BOOing others! Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Surprise Muffins

So my baby turned 4 a little less than a week ago and I made these amazing Chocolate Surprise Muffins for him to take into his Preschool. I frosted them and made them into cupcakes for all the kids to enjoy. This recipe comes from the Cake Mix Doctor and is super easy to make. I first had these at my sisters house and I am not a fan of chocolate but they were so good I ate two! You Defiantly give them a try!

Chocolate Surprise Muffins

Filling:

~ 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature

~ 1/3 cup sugar

~ 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

~ 1 large egg

~ 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Cake:

~ 24 paper liners for muffin pans

~ 1 package (18.25 oz.) plain devil’s food cake mix

~ 1 1/3 cups water

~ 1/2 cup vegetable oil

~ 3 large eggs

1. Place the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla and egg. Beat on low until the egg is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set the filling aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

3. Place the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each liner two thirds of the way full. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the filling onto the center of each muffin. The filling will sink into the batter as the muffins bake. Place the pans in the oven.

4. Bake the muffins until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, about 23 to 27 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

* You can frost these and they make wonderful cupcakes or enjoy on their own.

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Chocolate Surprise Muffins