Homemade Guacamole

I have an affinity for anything avocado, so naturally I am a huge Guacamole fan.  With that being said, I am not a big fan of onions, and I'm always striving to come up with the best onion free guacamole recipe.  Last night I concocted something amazing.  So amazing in fact, that it just had to be shared.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 Avocados (seeded and peeled)
Juice of 2 Limes (only use 1 if you don't love the hint of lime taste)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (seeded and chopped)
8 Champagne Tomatoes (chopped, can substitute grape tomatoes)
1/2 Jalapeno (Seeded and Minced)
1 Clove Garlic (Minced)
1 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
1-2 tsp Cumin Powder


Directions:
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Enjoy! 

No-Bake Cake Balls

Liam and I frequent Starbucks mostly due to his cake pop love.  I keep wanting to make him soemthing similar at home, so my mom found this recipe and sent it to me to play with.  They turned out VERY delicious.  Tasted a lot like cookie dough in chocolate.  In the future I would use a bit less flour since they were a tad bit crumbly and cut the white chocolate with cream or frosting.  It was a humongous sticky mess to coat the balls in JUST white chocolate.  Very yummy though.

Ingredients: (makes about 14-20 balls depending on how you roll them)
1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick, softened)
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Vanilla Cake Mix
1 1/2 Cup Flout (Start with just 1 Cup and add in as you need)
pinch of salt
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Cup Milk
6-8 oz white chocolate (again you may want to add in some milk or cream or even some frosting (homemade or store bought) to keep it from being quite so sticky)
Sprinkles

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat a wire rack with non-stick spray.

Mix all ingredients except the chocolate and sprinkles and roll into balls that are about 1 inch in diameter.  Set the balls on the cookie sheer and chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate and stir until smooth.  Dip each ball into the chocolate, coating completely and set on rack.  Top with sprinkles and chill all balls in the fridge until set. 

Serve and enjoy!  They taste amazing with milk.

Soften the butter

Add in the sugar

Add in the flour

Add all ingredients except for the chocolate and sprinkles

Mix until starting to crumble

Roll into balls and set on cookie sheet to be chilled

Dip the balls into the chocolate

Top with sprinkles and set on drying rack to be chilled

Sloppy Joes

I hadn't made any sloppy joes in about 4 months, so I figured it was about time to do some tweaking to the delicious recipe.  Here it is!

 Ingredients:

1 lb ground hamburger
Alpine Touch

2 Tbsp Butter

3 Carrots (Peeled & Minced)

3 Garlic cloves (minced)

2 Celery Stalks (Minced)

1 Tbsp Vinegar

1/2 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 Tbsp Thyme

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar Bourbon Grill Mate (or another great steak seasoning) 

1/2 Tbsp Parsley

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/2 Cup BBQ sauce (Hickory Mesquite Smoke for a delicious smokey flavor)

Directions:

Brown the hamburger.  Drain and set aside.

In a separate pan add the Butter, minced carrots and garlic and saute' for 2-3 minutes.  Add the minced celery and cook for another minute.  Add the Vinegar and seasoning and cook for another minute or two to thoroughly season the veggies.  Add all remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix.  Add the hamburger to the mixture and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Sauce will be ready to serve.  Serve on your favorite bun, roll or bread for the best eating experience. 

Season and brown the hamburger

Add the butter, minced garlic and minced carrots to a heavy bottom skillet

Add in the minced celery and cook on medium heat

Add the spices

Add the remaining ingredients

Mix thoroughly

Add in the hamburger and stir to warm

Serve & Enjoy

Creamy Chicken Pasta

I love the Bear Creek Mixes.  I also love adding onto them to make them heartier and more delicious, which is exactly what I did with this dinner!  Quick and easy, and so I also had to whip up some homemade cinnamon honey butter to put on our toast.

Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Chicken Breast (Chopped)
Seasoning (Rosemary, Garlic, Sea Salt, Mediterranean Basil)
2 Cups Water
2 Cups Milk
1 Bear Creek Creamy Chicken Pasta Mix
1 Large Carrot (Peeled & Chopped)
1 Celery Stalk (Chopped)

Directions
Heat the oil into a skillet.  Add the chicken and generously season.  Cook on med-high heat until browned all the way through.
In a large pot bring the water and milk to a rolling boil.  Add in the celery and carrots and mix thoroughly.  Add the pasta mix and cook until noodles are al dente.  Simmer while adding in the cooked chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. 


Cinnamon Honey Butter
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter (1 Sticks, softened)
3 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Directions:
 Add all ingredients together and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.

I used the Creamy Chicken :)

Add the chicken to the skillet and season while also adding the milk and water to a pot

Continue cooking the chicken and add the celery and carrots to the pot

Cook chicken thoroughly, add the pasta mix to the pot

Add cooked chicken to the pot

Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens

Soften the butter

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl

Blend thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy

Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs

Somehow I have never made my own homemade meatballs....  until tonight.  This was a pretty yummy recipe!  It was also fairly easy to make, similar to making meatloaf.

Ingredients:
2 Large Eggs
1/3 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp Grated Cheese (I used Gruyere)
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Mediterranean Basil
2 Large Garlic Cloves (Minced)
1 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
1 lb ground beef

1 12-16 oz can of tomato based pasta sauce (I used Tomato & Basil)
Angel Hair Pasta

Directions:
Stir eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese olive oil, basil, garlic and alpine touch together in a bowl.  Add ground beef and mix thoroughly.  With moistened hands, form beef mixture into meatball shapes. 
Pour additional olive oil into a skillet over med-high heat.  Work in batches, adding meatballs to the pan.  Fry until brown and cooked all the way through, turning frequently for about 15 minutes per batch. 
Boil the noodles to al dente, strain and set aside.
Heat up the pasta sauce in a sauce pan and add the browned meat balls.
Serve with the sauce over the noodles and enjoy. 
*You can add additional shredded cheese and a dash of basil over top.  

Mix together the ingredients and then mix in the hamburger

Add olive oil to a skillet and form the meat mixture into meatballs, place in the pan to fry

Heat the pasta sauce in a pan and add the finished meat balls

Serve & Enjoy!

Tropical White Sangria

This past weekend was very hot and it was definitely a perfect opportunity to make some nice fresh tasting sangria. 

Ingredients: (makes about 7 or 8 large glasses)
2 1/2 Cups Riesling (I used 2012 Old Vine Riesling from the local Christoval Vineyards)
2 1/2 Cups Roussane (I used 2012 Roussane from the local Christoval Vineyards)
1 1/2 Cups Strawberry Rum (I used Bacardi Dragon Berry)
1 Cup Apple Juice (not from concentrate is best I used Simply Apple)
1 Peaches (Pitted & Sliced)
1 Apples (Cored & Sliced)
3 Pineapple Slices (Quartered)
10-12 Blackberries
2 Slices Watermelon (Quartered)
1/2 Orange (Peeled and Sectioned)

Directions:
Add all ingredients except fruit to a pitcher.  Stir thoroughly.  Add in the fruit and stir again.  Allow fruit to sit in sangria for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Serve & Enjoy!  (Feel free to eat the fruit and add to your glass)

Add all ingredients except fruit and stir

Add the fruit and mix thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy!

If you like Sangrai you should also check out my Spiced Red Sangria

Spiced Red Sangria

I have been waiting for Memorial Day weekend to make a yummy pitcher of red sangria.  Given the rainy weather that we have had all weekend, I decided to make it a spiced kind of sangria, to give comfort to the dark and rainy comfort weather we have been having.  I hope that you like this one as much as I have. 

Ingredients: (makes about 7 or 8 large glasses)
2 Cups Merlot (I used 2010 Rambouillet Vinter's Select Merlot from the local Christoval Vineyards)
3 1/2 Cups Pinot Noir (I used Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir)
1/4 Cup Orange Vodka (I used Grey Goose)
2 Cups Apple Juice (not from concentrate is best I used Simply Apple)
3 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
10-12 Dried Whole Cloves
2 Peaches (Pitted & Sliced)
2 Apples (Cored & Sliced)
3 Pineapple Slices (Quartered)

Directions:
Add all ingredients except fruit to a pitcher.  Stir thoroughly.  Add in the fruit and stir again.  Allow fruit to sit in sangria for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Serve & Enjoy!  (Feel free to eat the fruit and add to your glass)

Add all ingredients except the fruit to a pitcher and stir

Add int he fruit and mix it all up well

Serve & Enjoy!

DIY: Toddler Crafts Part 5

As we are nearing the end of the month I thought it was time to throw out some new toddler DIY activities!  I hope you enjoy them I have spent a lot of time scouring the Internet for some great new ideas we haven't used before.  Please feel free to submit any of your ideas that you may have for future blogs.

Rainbow Bubble Snake

Housingaforest.com

It's fun, it's easy and it's bubbles, Liam will love it!










Ingredients:
Empty Water Bottle
Duct Tape or Rubber Band
Sock
Dish Soap
Food Coloring

Directions:
Start by cutting the bottom of the water bottle off.  Next slide the sock over the bottom of the bottle. You can  use duct tape or a rubber band to secure the sock. Pour some dish soap into a shallow container with a little bit of water and gently mix.  Dip the sock covered bubble blower into the solution and gently blow.  If you want to add some color you can drop the food coloring onto the sock. 
Please remind your kids to blow air out not suck air in!  If your child sucks in, they will be eating bubbles.  Please be careful when doing this with your kids.  My kids had a blast playing with these bubble snakes.  We did not have any trouble with the kids inhaling, but I have had a few readers mention that their younger kids needed continual reminders.  The fun will quickly end if the bubbles are inhaled!

Liquid Sidewalk Chalk

Domesticcharm.blogspot.com

Sidewalk Chalk is so fun and messy for outside play, this looks like a great one to try.







Ingredients:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Cornstarch
Muffin Tin
Food Coloring


Directions:
Mix the water and cornstarch and then pour into a muffin tin or small cups.  Add food coloring to make the colors.  Now paint.

 Homemade Lava Lamp

slsmithphotograpy.com

I LOVE lava Lamps, so this is one I definitely want to try











 
Ingredients:
Empty Water Bottle
Food Coloring
Vegetable Oil
Water
Alka Seltzer


Directions:
Fill each bottle about 2/3 with the oil.  Fill the rest of the way with water leaving about an inch of air to the top.  Add 10 drops of food coloring.  Break the Alka Seltzer into 4 pieces.  Drop the pieces in one at a time.  *Wait until the bubbles stop before adding in another piece or it will start to get cloudy.  

Pasta & Beads Bracelets

Kiwicrate.com

Yay, we can finally use our Kool-Aid Dyed Pasta for fun :)










Ingredients:
Pipe Cleaners
Pasta
Pony Beads

Directions:
Start off with a loop fastened at the bottom of the pipe cleaner there is an end to catch the beads as you work.  Bead the pipe cleaners to make their bracelets! This activity also works on fine motor skills too: fitting the beads on the pipe cleaners.  Once you are about 3/4 of the way up the pipe cleaner, take the end of the pipe cleaner through the hole to latch them together and weave the excess pipe cleaner through the last bead.

If you would like to see the past DIY activities that we have completed together, check them out here:

Penguin Activity Game

Kool-Aid Dyed Pasta

Cardboard Owls

Alphabet Train

Make Your Own Rainstorm

Orange Sugar Scrub

Meditation Bottle

Chicken Quesadillas

I am always trying to do different things with chicken, because I feel like it can be one of the more boring meats and it's harder to eat leftover for me.  Flipping through recipe ideas I got a craving for quesadillas and remembered that I had a nifty quesadilla maker sitting on a shelf in my garage that was being severely under utilized.  *Don't get discouraged if you do not own a quesadilla maker, you can still make this recipe just fine in a pan on the stove.  This is a very quick and delicious recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Chicken Breasts (Thinly Sliced)
Seasoning (Alpine Touch, Lime Pepper, Cumin Powder)
Pack of flour tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Toppings (Mix and match in whatever way you desire)
Red Pepper (Seeded & Sliced)
Green Onions (Chopped)
Avocado (Seeded, Peeled & Sliced)
Salsa
Sour Cream
Cilantro

Directions:
 Add the butter to a skillet and place the sliced chicken into the pan, add the seasoning  Cook until down all the way through.  Pre-heat the quesadilla maker (or the pan if you prefer).  Get a tortilla for the bottom of you quesadilla.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on the bottom and top with a couple pieces of the cooked chicken.  Add the accoutrements (peppers, green onions, avocado) and top with a final sprinkle of cheese.  Place on the quesadilla maker (or in the pan on med-high) and add a top tortilla to cover.  Cook for about 30-60 seconds to warm all the way through (if cooking in a pan flip after 30 seconds and cook for another 30, once you start to see melted cheese you should be good to go).  Remove and cut along the grooves made by the quesdilla maker (if using a pan just cut to preference).  Serve with salsa and Sour cream with cilantro on top.  Enjoy!

Add the chicken and seasoning to the butter in the pan

Cook thoroughly

Get out your bottom tortilla and add cheese and chicken

Add the peppers, green onions & avocado

Top with more cheese and place on the quesadilla maker)

Add the top tortilla

Cook for 30-60 minutes

Remove and cut along the grooves

Serve & Enjoy!