Tea Party Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

These are the scones I made for Avery's tea party. I have had several people ask for the recipe. It is based off of one I found on allrecipes.com but with my own special touch. These are delicious with a warm cup of coffee or tea.

1 3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/2 c. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Zest of one orange
About 1/2 c. orange juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chips and orange zest. Mix in the orange juice to form a dough. (Should be the consistency of biscuit dough.)

Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Pat or roll into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out scones with a fluted biscuit cutter and transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Move to wire rack to cool. Makes 12 scones.

Warm-You-Up Potato Soup

I am a big soup fan, and this weather makes me want to cuddle up with a bowl of homemade warmth. This is a simple recipe, but one that will warm you on these cold days. It is delicious served with homemade bread.

6 cups diced potatoes
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, divided
4 cups half-and-half cream (I used whole milk instead)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4-5 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, bring potatoes, to a boil in 2 cups of broth. Cook until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.

Combine reserved broth and half-and-half in pot. In a bowl, combine melted butter and flour. Stir into half-and-half mixture over medium heat. Stir until thickened. Stir in potatoes, remaining broth, bouillon and pepper. Add bacon pieces. Heat through and serve topped with cheese.

Banana Split Cupcakes

Today Avery is celebrating her birthday at school and she picked out these cupcakes for her school treat. I haven't tried one yet, but they look so cute. Mia helped me finish them up this morning and she had a blast. Who knew chocolate drizzle and "putting a cherry on top" could be so fun. I would recommend this as a fun cupcake recipe for kids to help out with!

1 yellow cake mix, divided

1 c. water

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

3 eggs

1 c. chopped maraschino cherries, drained (I omitted)

1 1/2 c. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I used the regular big guys)

1 c. vanilla frosting

1 c. marshmallow creme

1 tsp. shortening

30 whole maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 30 regular-sized muffin cups with liners.

Reserve 2 tbsp. cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix, water, bananas and eggs in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Combine chopped cherries and reserved cake mix in a small bowl. Stir chopped cherry mixture and 1 c. chocolate chips into batter.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 15-20 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Combine frosting and marshmallow creme in medium bowl until well blended. Frost each cupcake.

Combine remaining 1/2 c. chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 - 45 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds. Drizzle chocolate mixture over cupcakes. Place one whole cherry on each cupcake.

Psychedelic Christmas Cookies

I found this recipe in the Indianapolis Star. It won thrid prize in a cooking contest. The girls had fun mixing the food coloring into the dough with their hands. They were quite festive!

3/4 cup butter, softened (do not substitute)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon red liquid food coloring
1/4 teaspoon green liquid food coloring

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half; add extract and red food coloring to one portion and green food coloring to other.

Roll out each portion of dough between waxed paper into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle (to save dough and time, trim after dough portions have been laid over each other.) Place red rectangle over green rectangle (removing waxed paper). Roll up tightly, jelly roll style, starting with the long side (bottom layer may stick). Wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. (I put in the freezer for about an hour.)

Remove plastic wrap from dough and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (Use sharp knife warmed in hot water.)

Place cookies 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until set. (I only baked for 10 minutes because I like a softer cookie!) Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Angel Chicken

I have come across this recipe in several homemade cookbooks and I really like it. Chris doesn't like mushrooms, but he enjoys this one as well.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup (or regular cream of mushroom)
4 ounces cream cheese
1 pound angel hair pasta

In a large saucepan, add butter, seasoning mix, wine, soup and cream cheese over medium heat. Mix until melted. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is done. Meanwhile, boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Serve chicken over pasta.

Serves 4

Hot Cocoa Microwave Cake

My sister-in-law sent me this recipe and it was so fun with the kids. Yes, you cook it in the microwave!

9 Tbsp. hot cocoa mix (3 individual packets)
4 Tbsp. flour
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. water

Spray a large mug with cooking spray. Mix cocoa mix and flour together. Add egg, oil and water and mix well. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Eat.

Sloppy Joes

This Sloppy Joe recipe is so yummy and I always have the ingredients for it, so it is a great meal when your pantry is sparse. I found it in our MOPS cookbook from my friend Kristine. I usually make a half recipe for our family, but we love it so much that other times I make the full recipe and we have leftovers!

2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/3 onions, diced (I omit this)
1/2 Tbsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt

Brown ground beef and drain. Mix remaining ingredients into meat and simmer for about an hour. Serve on a bun with a slice of cheese.

Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Sandwiches

This is from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals 2 cookbook. It was quite tasty and easy to make. of course, I added my own twist.

1 lime, juiced
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp. EVOO
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
4 slices swiss cheese
Artisian bread/buns
Dijon mustard

Combine lime juice, honey, cumin, cilantro and EVOO in a small bowl to make dressing. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in dressing and set aside for 10 minutes.

Grill chicken (I used my griddle) on medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes on each side. Add sliced cheese on top and let melt.

Place on toasted bun with dijon mustard. Top with lettuce, tomato or avacodo.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

One of my friends in MOPS gave me this recipe and it is awesome! As Chris says "It's the great taste of wings, without the mess!"

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 - 8 oz. bars cream cheese, softened
1 - 12 oz. jar Frank's Hot Sauce (I used the Wings Sauce kind)
1 c. blue cheese dressing (or Ranch if you prefer)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine the first five ingredients and place in a greased casserole dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Back at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve it with tortilla chips or celery sticks.

** To shred the chicked, I put boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a saucepan, cover with water and boil until cook through. Then I use two forks to shred the chicken.

World's Simplest Bread aka Turtle Bread

This recipe is from the Family Fun cookbook and is a wonderful bread to make with kids. We make ours into a turtle shape. It has become a Thanksgiving favorite to both make and eat!

2 c. warm water

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

5 1/2 - 6 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

Pour warm water into a large bowl. Add the yeast and sugar and whisk until dissolved.

Measure 2 cups of flour into the bowl and whisk the mixture well. Let the batter "proof" or sit for 10 minutes. If tiny bubbles appear and the batter looks slightly expanded, you're on the right track.

Stir in salt and remaining flour one cup at a time.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (This is the kids favorite part!) Please the ball in bowl greased with oil (we like EVOO) and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 -2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough, then knead it again to remove air bubbles. Either shape into a turtle (large circle for body, four smaller circles for legs, flat tail and medium ball for head - make criss-cross pattern on back with knife and use raisins for eyes) or divide dough into two portions and shape into loaves. Place on a greased pan and cover again. Let rise for another 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 and back for 30 minutes. Cool bread for 10 minutes, then rub with butter for a shiny finish.

Makes 2 loaves or 1 large turtle

Cranberry Sauce

This is just a simple cranberry sauce, but it is quite tasty.

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. orange juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries.

Dissolve sugar in orange juice over medium heat. Add the cinnamon and cranberries. Cook and stir until cranberries pop, about 10 minutes. Let cool. It will thicken as it cools.

Cheryl's Thanksgiving Pumpkin Stuffing

I have had several people ask for this recipe. I started making this recipe two years ago and it has become a family favorite. The recipe is based on one from Ibby's, but I have added my own special ingredients and tweaked it over the years. This is the final result. I hope your families enjoy this as much as ours does!

3 cups cubed pumpkin bread
3 cups cubed white or bread maker pumpkin bread
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups chopped red onion (I omit)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons chicken broth
1 cup diced apples (I use Golden Delicious)
3/4 cup dried cranberries

** Note: I make one loaf of pumpkin bread and one loaf of pumpkin bread in the bread maker to make the bread cubes. Both recipes can be found on the blog as well.

Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet, and let dry overnight. (I usually dry them out for 24-48 hours.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute celery and onions for about 10 minutes. Season with rosemary, tarragon, chives, parsley, salt, and pepper. Fold in bread cubes, apples and cranberries, and add enough broth to moisten. Transfer to prepared dish, and cover with foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove cover, and bake for 10 minutes, or until top is crisp.

Spicy Pumpkin Bars

This is a recipe I have enjoyed since childhood. My mom always made these yummy bars for our fall bonfire. They are delicious!

1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. pureed pumpkin
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 1/2 c. four
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and blend. Spread in a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 17-20 minutes.

Glaze:
1/2 c. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar

Cook brown sugar, butter, milk, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a sauce pan until bubbling. Stir in vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Pour and smooth over cooked bars.

Pumpkin Apple Dip

A lady at MOPS gave me this recipe and it has been a big hit with me and the girls. We eat it on apples, but it would be good on graham cracker sticks as well.

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Apple Slices

Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and pumpkin until smooth. Add cinnamon and beat until well blended. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Crockpot Taco Chili

This recipe was adapted from Lori's blog, NyeSistas Recipes. It has become a family favorite and is super easy to make. I usually fix some simple Cheese Quesadilla to go with it.

2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
1 lg. can diced petite tomatoes, undrained
4 oz. green chilies
2 cans whole kernel corn, undrained
2 pkgs. taco seasoning
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and corn chips to use for toppings

Add all of the ingredients into the crock pot, stir and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Honey Chicken over Snow Pea Rice

This recipe is from Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats book. I made it last night and it was quite tasty. We used chopsticks for this one!

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. long-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. dry white wine (I used white cooking wine)
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 large handfuls of snow peas
2 lbs. chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 large onion, sliced (I omitted this)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 Tbsp. honey (I used double!)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
5 scallions, thinly sliced (I omitted)

Heat a medium saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and the butter. Once the butter melts, add the rice, season with salt and pepper, and lightly brown the rice for 3 - 5 minutes. Add the wine and allow to evaporate entirely, 1 - 2 minutes. Add 3 c. chicken broth and the lemon zest to the rice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 18 - 20 minutes or until tender. Once the rice only has 3 minutes of cooking time, remove the lid and add the peas. Don't stir the rice, just let the peas rest on the top. The steam will lightly cook them.

While the rice is cooking, preheat a large skilled over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 Tbsp.of oil. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Brown for 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, onions, garlic, ginger and honey. Stir frequently and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 1/2 c. of chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch with a splash of water and mix into a thin paste. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering chicken. Cook for 2 minutes of until thickened. (I had to add more cornstarch than recommended.) Add the sliced scallions and the lemon juice to the chicken and stir to combine.

Serve the honey chicken over the snow pea rice.

Serves 4.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! As many of you know, I love to cook/bake, and I am constantly looking for new recipes to try. I have found that the best ones out there are the ones that each of you have tried with your own families. I invite you to look, cook and share.

My goal is that this will become a great resource for those that love to cook and are looking for a good recipe. I know when I am meal planning I love to mix in both the tried-and-true along with a new one here and there. I hope we can all learn from each other. Feel free to post not only recipes, but comments on how you have changed the recipe, tips or other helpful cooking/baking information.

If you are interested in posting your own recipes, please let me know and I can give you a login.