About Me

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I would say that I am curious, vivacious, gregarious, sometimes funny, intelligent, easy going, very passionate about the things I love, caring, thoughtful, and kind. Maybe that is a little over the top, but I think you can count on me to be very honest. LOL

Monday, January 28, 2013

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

 

Ingredients

  • ½ cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
  • ½ cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cups Granulated Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup All-purpose Flour
  • ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt
  • ¾ cups Mini Chocolate Chips Or Chunks
  • 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until combined.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and stir.

Add the flour and chocolate mixture to butter mixture and fold in gently. Add yogurt and stir again.

Place in a container and cover with lid. Freeze until set, preferably overnight.

Cookie dough recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cookbook.

Makes about 2 cups.

Baked Chicken Dinner – All in One

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• 4-6 raw chicken breasts

•new potatoes

• green beans (fresh or canned-really any green veggie would work)

Arrange in 9x13 dish.

Sprinkle with a packet of Italian dressing mix and then top with a melted stick of butter.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Natural Anti-Bacterial Spray

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The power of essential oils is used to make this all-natural anti-bacterial spray for countertops and other surfaces.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water, distilled or filtered
  • 5 drops wild orange essential oil
  • 3 drops lavender essential oil
  • 2 drops eucalyptus essential oil
  • 2 drops melaleuca essential oil

Instruction

  1. Add all ingredients to a spray bottle.
  2. Shake well before use.
  3. Spray on countertops and other hard surfaces and let air-dry.
  4. Store in a cool, dark place.

Wimbush Family Pita Bread

1 tablespoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3- 3 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water for about 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and 1 ½ cups flour and with the dough hook, beat to make a batter. Add additional flour until a rough, shaggy mass is formed. Knead 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces for large pitas or ten for smaller. I make all sorts of sizes to suit different snacks and meals. Form dough into balls, then flatten with a rolling pin into ¼ inch thick discs. Try and keep an even thickness as this is what helps them ‘puff’.

Let rest on the floured surface 30-40 minutes until slightly puffed.

Preheat oven to 425F.
With a large spatula, flip the rounds of dough upside down on to a baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes until light golden. Stick around for the first five minutes of baking when the pitas perform their magic and puff up from flat pancakes to proud, four inch high pitas.

These store for up to two days well wrapped or frozen for three weeks.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Essential Oil and A Toilet Paper

Fill your bathroom with an everlasting, fresh aroma! Simply place a few drops of essential oil (I use Citrus Bliss scent) onto the cardboard tube of your toilet paper roll…..Oh the bathroom smells so amazing until the entire roll is complete and then you just begin again!  

toilet paper roll essential oils

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Skillet Lasagna

 

Are you ready for dinner?   This week I started craving something warm and homey and HOT.  With cheese. Problem was… I still didn’t want to stand over the stove all day when it came time for dinner to begin.   I just want to take naps, watch some basketball and enjoy the warm cozy fireplace.  It’s winter and I think I should hibernate. SO here is what we came up with to warm our tummies tonight.  Quick, easy, and delish!!!P1110033

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound bowtie pasta
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 onion 
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh flat parsley
  • 1 large ball fresh mozzarella
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large saute pan (that is oven proof) heat the olive oil over medium-high hear. Cook sausage until brown.
  2. Add the pepper and onions, cook for a few minutes until they get soft.
  3. Add the oregano and garlic. Cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Add some basil and parsley. I reserve a little for garnish.
  5. Toss in the bowtie pasta.
  6. Add dollops of ricotta cheese.
  7. Layer the mozzarella cheese over the pasta.
  8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  9. Put the skillet into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Garnish with the remaining basil and parsley.

Sunday Dinner Pot Roast

 

Ingredients
  • 1 (4-5) Pound Roast, any kind…I like Chuck Roast
  • 1 Package Brown gravy mix, dry
  • 1 Package Italian salad dressing mix, dry
  • 1 Package Ranch dressing mix, dry
  • 1 to 1 1/2 Cup Water

 

Directions

  1. Step One…..If you wanted carrots and potatoes in your Crock Pot, cut them to your liking and put in the bottom of your Crock Pot.
    Place beef roast on top of the vegetables in crock pot.
  2. Step Two
    Mix the dried mixes together and sprinkle over the roast
  3. Step Three
    Pour the water around the roast
  4. Step Four
    Cook on low for 7-9 hours


Friday, January 18, 2013

SF Senior Cookies….Yummy

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups oats, uncooked (not instant)
1 1/2 cups raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Position oven rack in the center.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer on low, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and the color lightens.

Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible. (Over-mixing develops the gluten, making a tough cookie.)

Stir in oats and raisins.

Fill a #40 cookie scoop, which measures 2 tablespoons of dough, pressing against the side of the bowl, then pulling up to level the dough. Drop 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top. Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Today I used ¾ craisins and ¾ cup chocolate chips in place of raisins!