Saturday, October 29, 2011

Oreo Balls.


Remember when I mentioned I LOVE truffles? and that I LOVE making truffles? Well, here we go again... OREO BALLS!! {yes i still have a ton more ball desserts coming in the future!}  These were introduced to me by my aunt and uncle.  They actually won the Summerhays Annual Dessert Contest with these bad boys!  They are a combination of oreos. cream cheese. and chocolate. What could be better??

Oreo Balls


1 8 oz. Cream Cheese Package.
1 Package of Double Stuffed Oreos.
1 Package of Chocolate Chips {about 2 cups.}

Combine cream cheese and insides of oreos.
Crush up the Oreo cookies in a food processor or by hand.
Slowly add crushed up oreos into the cream cheese mixture.
{you may want to leave some out for garnish on top.}
Roll into 1 inch balls and freeze for 20ish min. {or until hard enough to dip.}


Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 sec. increments. Stirring in between.
Dip balls in chocolate and place back on plate.
{garnish with crumbs if wanted.}
Freeze for 5 min. to allow chocolate to set.


{oreo balls were brought to you by Brooke.}

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Hoisin Chicken and Veggies

Foil packet dinners are so easy and fun to put together.  You could honestly put any vegetable you wanted in this recipe! The chicken stays moist, and the vegetables are tender.  This is heavenly over some brown rice!!! :)
Hoisin Chicken and Veggies

Ingredients
18-24 baby carrots
2 cups sugar snap peas

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
4 small chicken breasts ( about 1 ½ pounds), trimmed 
(with large, thick chicken breasts, I cut them in half by butterflying them and cutting all the way through to make two thinner cuts of chicken – this helps the chicken cook quicker and helps your chicken to go further)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil (heavy duty) about 12 inches square (if you don’t have heavy-duty aluminum foil, use two pieces of regular aluminum foil for each packet). Mince the garlic.
Arrange the carrots and peas on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle with garlic (this doesn’t sprinkle like salt and pepper so don’t worry if you get a clump here and there – the flavors will absorb while baking), and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the hoisin sauce. Top each portion of vegetables with a piece of chicken. Salt lightly.
Bring opposite sides of the foil up to meet over the chicken. Fold the edges together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over 3 more times. Fold the open edges at either end of the packet together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over twice again to seal.
Put the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Transfer the contents of each packet to a dinner plate and serve over rice!!
ENJOY!
{recipe adapted from melskitchencafe.com}
{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Caramel Apples.


I honestly have never made caramel apples until now. Let me tell you, it will now be a tradition! My roommates and I decided we wanted to have a Halloween Party consisting of caramel apples and pumpkin carving.  Granted we hadn't ever really done caramel apples before we decided it would be safest to just melt the caramel squares, instead of making our own. So that is what we did.  We melted the squares. Dipped the apples. and decorated them.  Some turned out better then others but I throughly enjoyed the two I made.

Caramel Apples.

1 package of Caramel Squares.
2 tbsp. water.
4-6 apples. {depending on how many times you coat with caramel}
Toppings.
Sticks.
Greased plate or cookie sheet.

Grease a plate or cookie sheet to put the finished apples on.
Stuff a stick in each apple starting from where the stem is.
Put the caramel squares and the water in a small sauce pan.

Melt on low-med heat. Stir continually. {so it doesn't burn.}
Once fully melted dip an apple individually.
Wait for excess caramel to fall off the apple before placing on the pan.
{it will still probably pool below your apple.}
Wait for caramel to harden a little {like 2-3 min.} and then decorate apple.

Melted Chocolate and Oreo.


Crushed Pretzels and Reeses Pieces.
Topping Ideas:

  • Chocolate/White chocolate.
  • Oreo crumbs.
  • Pretzels
  • Sprinkles
  • Smashed up Candy bars.
  • M&M
  • Toffee.
  • Nuts.
  • Cinnamon Sugar
  • Brownies bites
  • Cheesecake bites.

{apples were brought to you by Brooke.}

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Chocolate Owl Cupcakes.


Aren't these the cutest cupcakes you have ever seen? They are also perfect for halloween or anytime in the fall! I saw this idea on pinterest and I decided to recreate them.  In our family when we had birthday cakes or any kind of cake we always used a box. I wanted to venture out and make them from scratch! They actually turned out really good! But I decided to be lame and I bought the frosting... lame I know. But that is besides the fact! So never making a cake or cupcakes from scratch I didn't know what ingredients went in to making a cake.  I figured the usual, you know eggs, sugar, flour, etc.  Yes it does incorporate those, but there were many recipes that looked delicious that had buttermilk, half and half, sour cream, etc.  No, I don't have those in my wonderful college kitchen.  So my search for a recipe was hard.  But I found one! And it turned out delicious! Obviously if you have a favorite chocolate cupcake recipe or want to use a box go for it! But if not then this recipe definitely will have everything you have in your pantry!

Chocolate Owl Cupcakes.
{Cupcake recipe is from Joy of Baking}
{Preheat oven to 375} {line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.} {makes about 24}

Cupcakes:
1/2 cup Cocoa
1 cup boiling hot water
1 1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter {room temp.}
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla


In a small bowl combine boiling water and cocoa.  Mix with a fork until smooth. Let sit and cool.
In another small bowl sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar.  Mix. 
Add eggs one at a time mixing in between each.
Mix in the vanilla until combined.
Mix in the flour mixture just until combined.
Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth and combined.


Fill cupcake liners 1/2-2/3 way full with batter and bake for 12-16 min.  Insert toothpick to make sure they are done. Toothpick should come out clean.  {Don't over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.}  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.



Frosting/Oreos:

1 can of chocolate frosting {or make your own.}
1 oreos for each cupcake.
3 M&M's {or Reeses Pieces.} for each cupcake.


Frost each cupcake by spreading frosting with a knife.  


Then split oreos.  Make sure both sides have equal amounts of cream.  Or just use the creamed side and eat the other side and split another oreo!  Place the M&Ms on the split oreos and place the oreos on the cupcakes. Put one more M&M in the middle as a beak!


Take a picture right away because you and I both know your 
hard work and cute cupcakes won't last very long!

{These cute cupcakes were brought to you by Brooke.}

Friday, October 21, 2011

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites.


I couldn't resist not making something to incorporate the peanut butter I made for the Peanut Butter Balls! I also couldn't resist making a bite size dessert.  These definitely incorporate both! They are a mixture of salty goodness and rich creamy amazingness! Remember our Peanut Butter Balls and how they were like homemade Reeses?? Well these are a twist on the peanut butter balls much like a take 5 or a fast break is a twist on a Reeses! They are a perfect treat for a party or just to snack on!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites.

 ½ cup peanut butter
6 tablespoons butter {room temperature}
1 1/8 cup powdered sugar
140 mini pretzel knots {makes 70 bites.}
1 ¾ cup chocolate chips

Mix the Peanut Butter, Butter, and Powdered Sugar in a bowl.
Make 1 inch balls and freeze on a plate for 20 min.
Cut 1 inch balls into 1/4th and roll with hands to be smooth small balls.
Take 2 pretzels and smash the peanut butter balls in the middle. Place back on the plate and freeze for 10 min.

Melt Chocolate Chips in the microwave in 30 sec increments. stirring in between each interval.
Dip half of the pretzel bite into the chocolate and place back on plate.
 {You may want to put them on wax paper or they will stick to the plate like mine did.}
Freeze for 5 min. or until chocolate is set.
{Some of them stick really well to the plate so carefully remove from plate before indulging!}





{this recipe was brought to you by Brooke.}

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sloppy Joes*Russell Style

In my family we never really had sloppy joes....and if we did, we made them using the little packet thingy's.  When I married into the Russell family, I was introduced to Sheila's DIVINE homemade sloppy joes.  She has never really measured out all of the ingredients, so I took on the challenge and re-created her masterpiece!!!! Hope you love it!!!!

Sloppy Joes


Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef {I like to use "EXTRA LEAN"}
1 green pepper chopped
1 white onion chopped
1 can Chicken Gumbo
1 1/2 tsp Yellow Mustard
3/4 cup Ketchup
Salt and Pepper to taste
Hamburger buns {western family are my FAV!!!}

Chop green pepper and white onion.  Place them in the frying pan and get them cooking on high.  After about one-two minutes add ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  Once the meat is cooked all the way through, drain any fat.  Add chicken gumbo and mix all the way in on medium heat.  Add mustard and ketchup.  Mix thoroughly. Continue to cook until slightly thickened. This takes about 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.  SERVE on a perfect bun and ENJOY!!!!!

{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley, courtesy of Sheila Russell}

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Crispy Chicken w/Creamy Italian Pasta

This pasta was really simple.  I usually don't use too many "processed" food items in my meals, but this was an easy "go-to" recipe-and it turned out quite yummy!!! :) It is perfect for the "picky" palate and tastes absolutely delicious!! It's like an extremely fantastic "Pasta-Roni" Hope you Like it :)

Crispy Chicken w/ Creamy Italian Pasta



3 large chicken breasts
5 C corn flakes
3/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 C milk
6 T olive oil 
1   12 oz package bowtie noodles (farfalle)

Sauce:
1   10 oz container Philadelphia Cooking Cream (Italian Cheese and Herb Flavor)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C milk

In a small food processor crush the corn flakes into crumbs. Add the 1/2 t salt to the 3/4 C flour. Stir to combine. Place the flour, milk and crushed cornflakes each into their own separate container. Place your chicken breasts in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and seal the top. Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet. Cut each breast in half. Dredge the chicken in the flour. Be sure it gets covered on both sides. Lay the floured chicken onto a small cookie sheet and slide the sheet into the freezer. Leave in freezer for about 5 minutes. Start cooking your pasta. Remove the chicken from the freezer and dredge each piece in the milk......and then immediately into the corn flake crumbs. Again, be sure both sides are covered well. Add the olive oil to a hot skillet. Carefully lay each chicken piece into the hot oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes....or until the underside of each piece is nice and golden brown. Turn the pieces over. If the bottom of the pan is dry add just a bit more olive oil to the side of the pan. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium.  Let the chicken cook for about 7 more minutes, being careful not to burn the bottoms. When your chicken has been cooked through remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Cover with tin foil. Into the same pan pour your broth, Philly Cooking Creme, Cream of Chicken, and milk. Whisk the sauce around and let it get all warm and bubbly. Should only take about 3 minutes. Slice your chicken into strips and serve over your cooked pasta and sauce. Hope you like it!!

{this recipe was found on jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com}

{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Monday, October 17, 2011

Cinnamon*Sugar Marshmallow Puffs

Perfectly simple and irresistible...enough said :)

Cinnamon*Sugar Marshmallow Puffs






Ingredients

1 can crescent roll dough
8 large marshmallows (or one for each puff you are making)
1/2 stick melted butter
Small bowl of cinnamon sugar mixture

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Open the crescent rolls and lay them out on the parchment paper.  Melt the butter.  In a separate bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar.  Dip the marshmallow in the butter and and cover it with the cinnamon sugar.  Place inside the crescent roll and pinch and fold all the sides together.  Make sure each crease is closed as tight as possible-the marshmallows will leak if it is not pinched off enough. ****optional: once the dough ball is formed you can roll it in the butter and cinnamon sugar for a nice sugary coat on the outside as well!-I like doing it this way the best...but both taste great!**** Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!!! :)

{this recipe was adapted from eatatallies.com}


{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Gaggies

Gaggies
(no bake cookies)

Gaggies?  Why would we ever call a dessert gaggies?  This is the famous savage family recipe for no bake cookies.  We call them gaggies because when my dad was on his mission in Sweden he and his companions would makes these and put them on top of vanilla ice cream.  It looked disgusting so they got the nick name gaggies.  It may look gross but it tastes wonderful.  Notice in the picture there are two different varieties.  Chocolate and non choclolate.  I am allergic to chocolate so I am always figuring out ways to dechoclafy recipes so just a few months ago I tried making these without the choclate and loved them!  Nobody could really tell the difference. Chocolate or no chocolate they are both great! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!


GAGGIES

In a sauce pan mix the following ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 heaping tbsp cocoa (leave out for choclate free gaggies)
Dash of salt
bring mixture to a boil on medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 tps. vanilla
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup flour
Stir until well mixed. 
Using a tablespoon drop small rounded balls from the mixure onto waxed paper.
Let cool before eating.



{this amazing recipe was brought to you by Lindsay and Rachel}

Friday, October 14, 2011

Jello*Pretzel*Cream Cheese Bars

One of my best friends mom's makes this...and I haven't had it in like 6 years...but I remember how heavenly it is...oh yes-the flavors are so perfect together! So I was on Pinterest and found a recipe for it, and it flooded my mind with divine memories.

Jello Pretzel Salad



Ingredients
2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
3 TBS brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 (6 oz) pkg of Strawberry Jello (I suppose any flavor would work.... I haven't tried it though!)
10 oz frozen strawberries or 16 oz fresh-Crushed or sliced
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8 oz cool whip

Combine pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter and press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. You can use more butter if the crust isn't sticking together. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes.

Make jello according to directions and add the strawberries. Refrigerate until partially set. *If it is not set enough it will leak through your cream cheese layer and make your pretzels soggy.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in cool whip. Spread over cooled crust and make sure you spread completely to the edges to create a seal so your jello doesn't leak through. Pour jello over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!!

{recipe adapted from the-girl-who-ate-everything.com}

{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Cake Balls.


I am a HUGE truffle fan. It literally is pretty much all I make. Cinnamon balls, peanut butter balls, now cake balls... be prepared for the future all it is, is balls. balls. balls. Well I actually had heard about these a long time ago but I always thought it was pointless to bake a cake just to ruin it. So I never put the time into it.  Well it was Rachels birthday this past sunday and I made her a 4 layer cake.  In order to make them stack perfectly I had to cut off the top of each layer so it would lay flat.  I then frosted the cake and realized I had extra frosting, and extra cake. Obviously my mind flew back to cake balls and how I wanted to try them but never wanted to ruin a beautiful cake. This was the time. I crumbled the extra cake and mixed the frosting in. Then i made them into balls, froze them and dipped them. They were delicious and they are so cute. I highly recommend them!

Cake Balls
{this recipe was adapted from Bakerella}


1 cake box mix. {i used funfetti.}
1 can of frosting.
1 bag of white chocolate chips.
Sprinkles for decorating.

Prepare the cake by following the directions on the box and cook for alloted time.
Let the cake cool completely.
Crumble up the cake and mix in the frosting.'
{you might not use the entire can. Just put enough in for the crumbs to stick together and form balls.}
Roll into 1 inch balls.

Freeze for about an hour.
{or until you think the balls will stay intact while dipping.}
Once ready to dip, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 sec increments stirring between each one.
Dip each ball.

Sprinkle each truffle as you go before the chocolate hardens.



There are many different variations you could try:

  • Chocolate Cake dipped in Milk Chocolate.
  • Chocolate Cake dipped in Melted Peanut Butter Chips.
  • White/yellow/funfetti dipped in Milk Chocolate.

Your options are endless!! If you try these with a different variation post about it and send a link to us so we can check it out!!

{cake balls were brought to you by Brooke.}

Monday, October 10, 2011

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This dinner was SO perfect for the chilly nights we have been having! It was SO easy, and SO delicious! We would definitely make it again! And your house will smell AMAZING for hours!!!
 PS......I absolutely LOVE crock-pot recipes!!!! {and i love that it is cold enough to start making them}

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup




Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 chicken breasts
1 pkg Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice
1/2 tsp salt {plus more to taste}
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 stick butter
2 cups half and half {i used fat free!}
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 chopped celery

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, and rice {along with seasoning packet} in a large slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.  Remove chicken breasts from crock-pot and shred.
*****Have you ever shred something with two forks??? It takes FOREVER! A good friend taught a trick to me.... and I have taken the responsibility to tell everyone I know about it! Use a hand-mixer! Put the chicken in a large bowl, hook up the beaters, and BAM!!! The most amazing/easy thing ever!!! TRY IT!!!***** Mix back into the crock-pot.  In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Slowly stir in flour mixture to form a roux.  Whisk in cream slowly, until smooth.  Stir cream mixture into crock-pot and bake an additional 15 minutes {on low heat}.  Serve and Enjoy!!!!
{recipe adapted from chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com}

{this recipe was brought to you by ashley}



Sunday, October 9, 2011

Garden Fresh Salsa.


Ever had too many tomatoes from your garden?  Recently our mom and dad made us pick the rest of the food that was still in our garden.  We had an overload of tomatos, red and anahiem peppers.  So we decided to make a delicious fresh salsa.  After many tears (from the onions and jalapenos.) We created a masterpiece! This salsa is so easy to bring to a family party or any get together!

Garden Fresh Salsa.

1 (11ounce) can whole kernal corn drained
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives drained
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup cilantro
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno peppers. minced
1 avocado peeled pitted and diced
1 anahiem pepper diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Mix together corn, olives, tomatoes, onion, avocado, red pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a large bowl then add salt and lime juice.

{this salsa was brought to you by Lindsay and Rachel.}

Friday, October 7, 2011

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

This recipe was INCREDIBLE!!! The chicken was really easy to make, and so were the veggies! For some reason the word "roasted" makes me think of fancy/too difficult for me, but it is just another word for baking!! The flavor was perfect, the easiness was perfect, the balance of the entire meal was just....PERFECT! I will for sure be making this recipe again and again and again!

Lemon Garlic Chicken {in the crock-pot}




Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
5 garlic cloves {finely chopped and minced}
1 yellow onion {sliced}
1 cup fat free-low sodium chicken broth
1/8 cup lemon pepper seasoning
2 TBS paprika
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 TBS salt
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Rinse the chicken and pat dry.  Mix together lemon pepper seasoning, paprika and salt.  Coat the chicken with the spice mixture.  Place the coated chicken at the bottom of the crockpot and cover with chicken broth, garlic, onion, parsley, and lemon zest.  Cook on Low heat for 3-4 hours {or until done}
{this recipe was slightly adapted from laaloosh.com}

Roasted Vegetables

I used 1/2 a small bag of red potatoes, 1/2 a bag of baby carrots, and about 10 stems of asparagus.  You can obviously use ANY veggie you would like!!!

Cut and place veggies in a 9x13 pan.  Coat and toss lightly with olive oil, making sure that it doesn't pool at the bottom of the pan...you don't want it to be too oily or too soggy.  

Then coat the veggies in desired seasoning {I used morton's "season-all"-it was HEAVENLY} 
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees.  Toss gently about half way through the cooking process.

SERVE and ENJOY with or without the light sauce and onions from the crockpot!!

{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Peanut Butter Balls.


So there are a couple things you should know about me. Besides the fact that I am addicted to sweets, I am even more addicted to peanut butter! So put them together and there is no stopping me!! This recipe does just that, it is definitely a family favorite and it is made quite often, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas! They are so divine that I even won the Summerhays Annual Family Dessert Contest with them.
{That would be my mom's side of the family. The extremely competitive ones!} Yep, thats right bragging rights for a year! Anyways, they are delicious. It's like homemade reeses! and they are quite festive for halloween! If you are allergic to chocolate {like Lindsay, saddest day of her life.}, feel free to use white chocolate and they are just as good if not better. Like I said they should be a staple in everyones home, especially because it only uses 4 ingredients! Try them, and forever be addicted!

Peanut Butter Balls

1 1/2 Sticks of Butter
1 pound Powdered Sugar
1 cup + 2 tbsp. Peanut Butter
1 Bag of Chocolate Chips

Combine butter, powdered sugar and peanut butter in a bowl.  
Form dough into 1 inch balls and freeze. {20 min-1 hour depending on how patient you are.}

While balls are freezing melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 sec. increments.
Dip balls in chocolate and place back on plate. 
(when dipping i find it easiest to get a fork and stab the bottom of the ball and dip.)
If balls start to become soft place back in freezer then dip once hardened again.

Freeze for about 5 min for chocolate to set.
Eat and Enjoy. and then eat some more!

{this addiction was brought to you by Brooke.}

Monday, October 3, 2011

Steak Fajita Salad

This recipe is a twist between taco salad and fajitas.  Like I said in my last post....my family LOVES to eat mexican food! So we have come up with many different variations on a mexican style meal.  Steak Fajita Salad is one that my mom came up with years ago, and it is simple, refreshing, filling and totally delicious!



Steak Fajita Salad
1 bag spring mix (or whatever lettuce you like you eat for salad-spring mix is my favorite, and when it comes in the bag-it is EASY!)
1 Can Corn (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
2 Avacados cut into bite size pieces (Guacamole is good also, but I don't love mushy salad, so the chunks are better in my opinion)
Several Grape Tomatoes cut into bite size pieces (Regular size tomatoes can be used also-I love the grape style because even from the store, they taste home grown!)
1 lb Steak (I usually buy small cheap steak fillets and cut them into slices, but whatever works!)
1 Red Pepper sliced
1/2 white onion sliced
4 oz mushrooms sliced or chopped
Taco Seasoning
Salad Dressing-Green Taco Sauce-Sour Cream-Salsa-Any other Mexican topping you would like!!!

Instructions:
Cut steak into slices and place in frying pan with a tiny bit of olive oil.  Season liberally with taco seasoning.  As this is cooking, start cooking your fajita veggies (pepper, onion and mushrooms)-this can be done in the same pan as the meat or a separate one for you picky people that don't love the veggies.  As the meat and veggies are cooking, open the lettuce and dump into a large salad bowl. Open, drain, and rinse the corn and black beans and dump them into the bowl as well. Cut tomatoes and Avocado and  toss gently into the salad, making sure the ingredients are evenly mixed.   Once the Steak and veggies are  finished cooking, you can cool them completely and mix them in the salad, OR  if you are like me and have no patience and prefer your meat hot off the stove, go ahead and put the meat and veggies on top of your individually served salad. (Mixing the hot meat into the salad is okay....but it can make your salad go soft and limp)  Once your personal plate is arranged, drizzle with salad dressing (we love ranch, or Red Pepper Vinaigrette), sour cream, salsa, green sauce, guacamole etc!!! 
Enjoy!

{this recipe was brought to you by Ashley}

Sunday, October 2, 2011

glazed cinnamon balls.



Each sunday session of General Conference, as a family we look forward to cinnamon rolls.  Although they are never homemade, they are still delicious.  Now that I am in college I still try and keep the traditions alive for myself.  But when there is one of me and how many cinnamon rolls in a pan?? It doesn't work out so well.  So I decided make cinnamon balls and share with the roommates and neighbors. Obviously they glazed. Because that is the best part!  So this was a first time recipe that as a family we haven't tried but I thought they turned out quite well and I wanted to share! 


Glazed Cinnamon Balls
**Pre-heat oven: 425 degrees.**

1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup fiber one cereal. Coarsely crushed
(any cereal would probably work. this is just what i had, crisp rice would be a good suggestion to use.)
2 tablespoons sugar.
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter- room temp.
½ cup milk


1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup sugar
¼ cup butter. Melted

Mix flour, cereal, sugar, baking powder and salt together.  
Add butter and mix with a fork. 
Add milk.  stir throughly. Dough should be able to roll into balls with out being too sticky. 
Roll into about 1 inch balls. 
In another container mix cinnamon and sugar. 
Melt butter in another bowl.  
Using your fingers roll balls into melted butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. 
Put in a 8x8 pan. (really any pan will work.) it is ok if the balls touch.  
Cook for 13-16 min. or until a toothpick will come out clean.
Let cool while preparing glaze.


Browned Butter Frosting

1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon milk

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. until it is boiling and a brownish color
Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients.
The consistency should be thicker then a glaze but thinner then a frosting.
Place the glaze in a plastic bag and cut the corner.
Slowly move over the balls with plastic bag creating beautiful lines of delicious frosting!

{this recipe was brought to you by brooke.}

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Guacamole

Mexican Food is a very common meal in the Savage household...we would eat it at least twice a week when I lived at home.  My mom grew up eating burritos every Sunday, and although we didn't keep that tradition going-we did learn to make the FAMOUS Summerhays Guacamole!!! Here is the problem though...we just smash and mix and sprinkle and mix and BAM! its amazing! So as we were discussing our favorite family recipes this one was near the top.  I have had people ask me for the recipe in the past, and I have now measured it all out and I think I have the numbers perfected! This recipe can vary with the measurements-depending on the size of your avocados, and your picky taste buds, but this is what I thought tasted the very best! I hope you ENJOY!




Guacamole

2 Average size Avocados
1/4 cup + 1 tsp Green Taco Sauce (this is not to be confused with Enchilada sauce)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
5-10 dashes of dried minced onion
5 Grape Tomatoes chopped {optional}

Instructions:
Cut the avocados vertically, and remove the large pit from the center.  Slice into pieces and scoop them into your mixing bowl.  Add Green Taco Sauce and smash and stir, until most of the large chunks are gone.  Add Salt, Pepper, and Garlic.  Smash and stir again.  Add minced onion and repeat the smashing and stirring.  Once you have reached the right consistency, dip a chip {or your finger-that's my favorite ;)  } and make sure the flavors are balanced.  {if I do have a flavor imbalance, and I feel like something is missing, I always add a little more green sauce or salt} Add tomatoes and SERVE! 

I love it best with the tomatoes, but it is AMAZING with out them as well!

{this bowl of deliciousness is from ashley}