I made pancake animals for breakfast a couple days ago and am happy to say a couple turned out OK. 🙂
I am happy to say I can check this off my summer list. Emma is still asking for animals pancakes when I make them so they will be making regular appearances.
This beef and potato salad is not only approved by Travis, but me as well. Sure it’s not a crispy chicken salad from Red Robin, but it is tasty and hits all the right taste buds.
Rating: (Out of 5 stars):
Travis: 4 stars
Me: 3.5 stars.
I got the recipe from HERE , Rachael Ray. And do not believe the 30 min time frame. It took about 45 min to gather everything and then prepare it. Pretty though huh 🙂
The SWEET thing about this dish is that you can serve it warm (beef, mushrooms and potatoes warmed) luke warm or even cold! Can I get a high five for that?!!
What I mean is you can make this in the morning and take it out whenever you want for dinnertime. And you look like a good cook.
* Hint: make sure to spice up your meat. It’s kinda highlighted here and the worst is flavorless meat. Trust me.
Here is the veggies, most of them: Mushrooms (the most important veggie in here 😉 ), 1/2 head of romaine lettuce, 4 cloves of garlic, 1/2 red onion and 3 potatoes. (taters already cooked)
I changed the recipe a bit, depending on what I had in the house. I used yellow potatoes (turned out great) and added mushrooms. Didn’t have croutons and didn’t want to make them.
The dressing: Olive oil, spicy mustard, 1 lemon/zested and lots of garlic salt and pepper. (here’s the before and after mixing)
You could change it up and substitute honey mustard dressing for a kick.. Would be pretty good here!
I added ranch here and there to the salad if it was too dry. Trav liked it just as it was. 🙂
Over all: Try it! It is such a flexible recipe! you can add pretty much your favorite things to it and have it taste awesome! Let me know if you try this! 🙂
OK, some of these recipes are from 2 months worth of articles from Miss. Rachael Ray. Let’s see if they turn out good.
Try some with me and let me know how they were!!
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Thursday: Girls dinner! (cereal and fruit)
Friday: Steak and Potato salad with mustard dressing.
Saturday: Hawaiian Pizza (family recipe) with fruit salad
Sunday: Pork chops, broccoli, garlic rolls
Monday: Grilled Cheese, tomato soup, cucumbers & dip
Tuesday: White bean/spinach/bacon= amazing and easy meal
Wednesday: left over night- holla!
Thursday: Talapia, bell peppers and rice w/ tortillas for fish tacos
Friday: Breakfast night
Saturday: Book Club Beach weekend!
Sunday: Sandwich melts
Monday: Lemon Chicken Salad (wraps, sandwiches or eat solo)
Tuesday: Spicy Chicken Enchiladas, green salad
Wednesday: Left over night-holla!
Thursday: French Toast, strawberry cream cheese filling
Lunch Items: Egg salad sandwiches,
I have been wanting to get into the habit of making more tutorials. Mainly because when I look at blogs that’s what I’m looking for. So I might as well have some on mine.
Here are non-fat TASTY cinnamon rolls. Made without eggs or YEAST! So yes, a quick bread. It doesn’t take that long and substitute gluten free/vegitarian ingredients easily. Ingredients for the filling:
2 T cinnamon, 1/3 C brown sugar, 1/3 C sugar. Typical, and could be creative manipulated for different variations. 🙂
And now the ingredients for the dough, I would add a lot more things (dried/soaked fruit, zest or chocolate chips) but wanted to try this to a ‘T’ first to see how it would turn out.
(I didn’t have buttermilk, and normally never do, but added 1T white vinegar to the milk and let it sit. Instant buttermilk!)
The recipe will be at the end of the post. But basically, you:
Mix the dry ingredients first, then combine the milk/2T butter till a dough forms. (I had to add TONS of extra flour, fyi)
Knead for 30 sec. at least. There is something so incredibly satisfying about feeling smooth dough under your hands, you know?
Roll out the dough and spread 1T butter before allowing your little ones to help spread the filling. Let go of the control and allow them to be messy. They feel pretty grown up helping in the kitchen. 🙂
spread it, roll it, cut it.
OK, this part is important: When you bake them, cover with foil for 12 min. then take the top off and let brown, roughly 12 more min.
The instructions tolld me to cover the dish in foil. Not needed and you don’t need to do it either. Just spray/grease your pan to help prevent sticking. But lets face it- these are ooie gooie cinnamon rolls. They’re suppose to be sticky.
Once they come out and cool spread with your favorite icing. I made mine and it turned out bad. Eatable but not my favorite. Kinda like this last picture. Not my favorite but OK.
Over all, these turned out good. You should definitely try these. Go ahead and throw cation to the wind and make them.
A good trick that helps me not eat too many treats is eating in my exercise clothes. 😉
Hope your day is filled with relaxation… and pink and purple girly pancakes. Next weekend is rainbow pancakes I think. Should be pretty. 🙂
~what easy little additions/changes do you do to make everyday things special?
I am so embracing this GORGEOUS weather we’ve gotten today and which is suppose to continue into the weekend. (great pictures coming if that’s true)
Isn’t it weird how when the weather gets beautiful we want to eat lighter and healthier? Makes me smile…and brings me to say that I have no shame in declaring that I am now (finally!) jumping on the bandwagon, with everyone else I know, and try to eat healthy. (until late September)
A fare weather health fan? Totally. Thus….breakfast:
I used to work at a bistro and they made awesome fruit parfaits. Couple that with the knowledge (thanks to Oprah) that grapefruit is basically a super fruit and also helps with aging…you have my healthy/great tasting breakfast. Only problem? I made way too much. I will cut the amount in half next time.
*and just for fun (because you have to have motivation to eat healthy) I declared my favorite yellow flower bowl to be my parfait bowl.
Ruby Grapefruit, Low fat granola and Nancy’s non fat Vanilla yogurt. I sprinkled a bit of sugar cause the yogurt was just a bit sour to me. I have a sugar addiction and have no plan on quitting.
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Can I just say that having long hair rocks! I have had very short hair (Audrey Hepburn short) and like it that way even though the upkeep is a lot. But a while ago I decided to grow my hair out, and even though it’s taken FOREVER, it is just now getting to the length that I can fool around with. I am having so much fun doing things… like side buns:
I would technically consider my hair ‘medium length’ but the fun is beginning! Yay!!! 🙂
*please ignore that my face is an obvious shade darker than my neck. We live in the Northwest. Enough said.
I was sick yesterday. Boo. But a wonderful friend brought me a get well package! How thoughtful! Amongst all the wonderful treats was a plant of beautiful light purple flowers.
SO pretty and are now planted snuggly next to my chives and other herbs. (needed some hight to that planter)
But flowers are also my worst enemy these days. I am now in the full swing of seasonal allergies. Honestly, nothing too bad to complain about. I’m mostly allergic to the beautiful flowers that are blooming and making our world more beautiful so…no room to complain.
There is something I seriously LOVE about a little kid having a messy face.
She was a good sport for a while, but then all patience for me and the camera vanished.
I don’t think she was expecting me to bust up laughing at seeing this face. Unpredictability, it’s a parents secret weapon.
Planning on making this. Will you come over and help me eat it? I seriously have a problem with baking things, but really, is it so horrible? I prefer to say I am always prepared to have guests over- it sounds so much better.
But seriously, apple butter smells SO good, why don’t they have perfume in that scent?! I would totally buy it….and would probably get caught smelling myself in our elevator and feel embarrassed. Then be known as the girl who smells herself…it could be worse. I’m not a cat lady. *cough* MOM *cough* Â (oh yes I did)
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I’m obsessed with turquoise right now but you wouldn’t know it looking around my home. Must change that. Spray paint anyone?
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Who’s daughter practices her vulcan mind grip on her mommy? MINE DOES!
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE HER.
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I’ve had some of you ask for my Swedish Meatball recipe. Here it is!
In a crock pot, dump 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom with 4 shakes of the garlic salt. Then add 1 T of the chicken bouillon.
Take out your whisk and mix in what might feel like a bit too much milk. When you’re there add the frozen meatballs. I’m sorry but I forgot to measure the amount of milk, I do my dinner recipes by feel.
Turn your beautiful, wonderful, hardworking crock pot on low for about 3-4 hours. I stir mine every so often.
(my watched pots DO boil)
I honestly had about an hour to make mine so I turned mine on high for 1 hr. Tasted great. Just combine with brown rice and the main course is done.
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I need to do yoga stretches more I think. My back is tight. Either that or Travis needs to pay for massages. I prefer the latter.
Even better, (Aunt Donna) : I need to go to a warm Texan beach with the women in my family and think of nothing but smelling apple butter, I mean coco butter and drinking cold lemonades. Ahhhhh.
Night friends, that is what I’ll pray I dream of tonight. Hope you get good sleep too.
I made a Polish apple cake tonight. We had some friends over and thought it sounded like a safe new recipe.
It’s pretty huh. 🙂 It has 6 apples inside plus a large handful of raisins.
This is how a Pole would serve it probably. Warm with maybe a dolop of cream…but I am American. Can’t ignore it. And although it was super tasty I couldn’t help myself- I had to add a cinnamon glaze. Because apples and cinnamon are the best of friends.
I served it warm. One surprising thing was how dense it was. I couldn’t finish one piece! I have half left over….this is an open invitation to come over and take a piece. Please. 🙂
Will totally make this cake again and you should too! Pretty healthy, super easy and would be great served hot or cold.
This was the crust I used. Instead of chilling it for 4 hrs I froze it for 30 min. I also added the zest of 1 lemon into it and am glad I did. Any way to add more flavor.
It worked OK and although everyone else liked it I didn’t at all! In one word:
Sugar.
Oh it needed sugar. Maybe it’s cause I’m addicted to that small sweet substance. But it needed something! Whipped cream, sugar sprinkled on top, vanilla ice cream…SOMETHING. At least it’s pretty. 🙂
Here is our book club picture. Brittany we missed you!
Next book is Pride and Prejudice. Booya.
Have a great weekend!