Category Archives: Recipes

Ham and Swiss Sliders

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My party food has gotten a little redundant lately, so for our baby girls’ 1st birthday party I decided to try these sliders instead of my regular pigs in blankets or alternative meat dish. And I’m so glad I did!  Let’s just say they went fast and I’m lucky I got to try one! So please excuse the picture, I was planning to get a pretty pic of a full plate of these things but they were almost gone by the time I got to them. A definite winner for appetizers, party food, or just lunch in general for a spin on ham and cheese. Big thanks to my friend Emily who made them while we finished decorating! Hit of the party!

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Ingredients
  • 24 white dinner rolls, I LOVE King’s Hawaiian Rolls
  • 24 pieces honey ham
  • 24 small slices Swiss Cheese
  • ⅓ cup mayonaise
  • ⅓ cup miracle whip
Poppy Seed Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
  • 1½ Tbsp. mustard
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp. minced onion
  • ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
  1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and miracle whip.
  2. Cut Rolls in halves. Spread mayonaise-miracle whip mixture on each side of the roll. Place a piece of honey ham and Swiss cheese on one half of each roll. Fold back into sandwich form.
  3. Place rolls close together in a greased 9×13 pan until pan in completely full.
  4. Mix together all ingredients of Poppy Seed Sauce. Spread evenly over the tops of all the rolls. *NOTE* I did not use all the sauce. Let the rolls set until the butter has set up a bit. Cover with aluminum foil and Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.
  5. Rolls can be made a day ahead and stored in fridge until ready to bake.

Original recipe available HERE.

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

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My team at work got together the other night for a good ole southern summer back porch BBQ. Complete with BBQ on the green egg, homemade mac n cheese and all the fixings. One of the favorite desserts of the night were these crunch bars- the perfect combination of chocolate, peanut butter and a little crunch. Great for kids as well because they don’t fall apart in your hands. Enjoy!

marshmallow-crunch-bars-singleIngredients:

For the Brownie Base:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Toppings:
1 bag (10½ ounces) miniature marshmallows
1½ cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup smooth peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1½ cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

2. For the brownies: In a medium saucepan, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter and ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate chips over medium heat. Stir occasionally while melting. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl , whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in the dry sifted ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the corner of of the pan comes out with moist crumbs.

5. Remove the brownies from the oven and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them. Return the pan to the oven for 3 more minutes.

6. Meanwhile, place the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly, until completely melted. Remove from heat, add the Rice Krispies and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

7. Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Original Recipe available here.

Easy Fruit Pizza

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For the past couple of weeks we’ve been hosting our community group at our home. We’ve made a lot of our favorite recipes but this week I decided to try something a little different. A neighbor posted a picture of a fruit pizza she made with her kids and I knew that this would be the perfect summer treat. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup each of fresh berries (we used raspberries, blackberries and strawberries). I also recommend using kiwi if available.

Steps

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan (or 13×9 pan) with cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust.
  • Arrange fruit over cream cheese. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. T
  • To serve, cut into wedges or squares. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pizza.

Original recipe available here.

Veggie Enchiladas

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It’s Monday… which means the start of another week and the need for some easy weeknight meals. A fun fact.. I used to be a vegetarian.. for about 2 years… for health reasons. It was a huge adjustment for us as we were newlyweds and I was trying to figure out how to cook yummy meals for my new husband each night. My husband who loves meat. Loves it. And so I began the quest to find yummy vegetarian meals that would satisfy us both – even the toughest meat-eating critics. Here is one of our favorites that I recreated again tonight.

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium organic black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium organic corn, rinsed and drained
  • fresh cilantro 
  • 6 low carb multi-grain tortillas (8 inches)
  • 1 can enchilada sauce (or homemade)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
 

Directions

  • In a large skillet, saute the onion and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the beans, corn, cumin and cilantro; cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
  • Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until heated through. 
  • Yield: About 8 enchiladas.
 Original recipe available here.

Peanut Butter Cookie (Sandwiches)

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It’s birthday week for KH which means homemade cookies every night! Ok, actually two nights but still.. I’m making all of his favs- sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies (basically every variety without chocolate). While we didn’t make the sandwiches this time around, if you’re looking for a fun and different spin on cookies try it out- it’s almost like a homemade version of a do-si-do Girl Scout Cookie. Enjoy!

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup PB
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Peanut Butter filling: 

  • 1/2 cup pb
  • 4T milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

1. Cream together butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in pb and vanilla.

2. Sift together (I don’t believe in sifting) flour, baking soda and salt.

3. Stir into creamed mixture. Form dough into 1″ balls. Place on greased cookie sheet 2″ apart. Flatten with floured fork to make “hatches”. Bake at 375F for 8 minutes or until brown.

4. Let cool, get your filling on.

*Recipe yields about 60 single cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

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And what family get together would be complete without an assortment of desserts. So not only did we enjoy Kyle’s family’s famous Nut Butter balls at our Easter dinner yesterday but I also decided to make a new dessert as well. Chocolate and peanut butter candies in a blondie, topped with vanilla ice cream. What more could you need?! Enjoy 🙂

Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, whisked
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 9-12 Reese’s 6oz peanut butter eggs (usually individually wrapped)
  • 1 bag peanut butter M&Ms

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 9×13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and sprinkled lightly with flour.
  2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in eggs and vanilla and blend until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Pour into the butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
  5. Press 1/2 the dough into the pan (coat your hands with flour and spread with your hands if needed).
  6. Cut the Reese’s eggs into small chunks and lay them on top of the dough.
  7. Place the remaining cookie dough on top of the Reese’s by dropping in spoonfuls.
  8. Gently press the peanut butter M&Ms on top.
  9. Bake for 35-40 minutes. When done, the bars will look puffy and the edges will be golden brown. The dough should still be soft in the center as it will finish cooking a bit while cooling.
  10. Allow bars to cool. Eat while warm with ice cream! Heavenly!

Original recipe available HERE.

From our family to yours.. Happy Easter!

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Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

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Well yesterday was a success- a successful Easter dinner with the family. We kept it easy and the stress low and I think we all ended the night happy and full 🙂 With help from my parents and my MIL we had a Honey Baked ham, green bean casserole, salad and then these tasty (I think so at least! 🙂 ) mashed potatoes. I wanted a side that I could do some of the prep work ahead of time and then finish as we got closer to eating time. These potatoes were not only tasty but super super easy. One thing to note – grocery stores aren’t open on Easter 🙂 So we made this without the sour cream- I’m assuming it would be even better with it but we were just fine without it too!

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Ingredients:

5 lb russet potatoes
1/2 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided
2.8 oz jar real bacon pieces (or 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled)
4 green onions, sliced thin
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions:

  • Peel and chop potatoes, place into a large stockpot.
  • Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Test a larger piece by piercing with a fork to make sure they’re cooked through and tender. Remove pot from heat, drain potatoes and place back in pot.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Smash potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, it’s ok if there are still chunks.
  • Stir in butter and cubed cream cheese. Keep stirring until completely melted.
  • Add in sour cream, 1 1/2 cups cheddar, 3 sliced green onions, salt, and bacon pieces (reserve 1/4 cup bacon pieces for topping).
  • Spread into a greased 3 quart baking dish.
  • Sprinkle remaining cheddar, bacon pieces, and sliced green onion over top.
  • Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through.

Original post available HERE.

Nut Butter Balls

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Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 10.21.46 PMI love it when my husband tells me stories from when he was growing up. There is something so sweet about family traditions and stories from a long time ago. This recipe and these cookies are one of those sweet stories. When KH was growing up his Grandma used to make these cookies every Christmas. Then his mom began helping and over the past several years took on the tradition herself once Grandma was in a nursing home.  Grandma passed away last year and we didn’t have the cookies for the first of many Christmases. Somehow the idea came up to make these for Easter and so here you go.. nut butter balls that have in a way doubled as what I like to call “tombstone cookies” because they remind me of the large tombstone that was rolled away on Easter morning where Jesus was buried. Despite my (what I like to think) clever tie in to Easter,  KH is pretty firm on the fact that these will remain a Christmas tradition. Still sounds perfect to me!

Beat together thoroughly:
1  cup butter
½  cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1  tsp vanilla

Sift together and stir in:
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt

Stir in:
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Chill dough. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll into 1″ balls. Place 2 ½” apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until set but not brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Gently remove from baking sheet while still warm and roll in sifted confectioner’s sugar, then cool on cooling rack. Roll again when cool, then store in an air tight container.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Whole30 Burgers with Sweet Potato Buns

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IMG_9889We are nearing the end of our Whole30. I’ll give a full update on how the last 30 days have been after Tuesday of next week. Tonight we tried another recipe from The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom book we’ve been using. We had burgers with sweet potato buns and homemade ketchup. This recipe was quick, easy and delicious. Perfect dinner idea for a weeknight and a healthy alternative to no bun. The ketchup was also incredible- so good that my husband already threw our Heinz bottle in the trash. Another tasty hit!

Sweet Potato Buns

Ingredients:

  • 1 thick round sweet potato
  • 2 tbsp cooking fat
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  • Peel the sweet potato and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds.
  • Heat the cooking fat over medium heat in a large skillet, swirling to cast the bottom of the pan.
  • When the fat is hot, add the largest slices from the middle of the potato, laying them out in a single layer in the pan. Cook until fork-tender and browned, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Let cook, then stack a burger and fillings between two slices of sweet potato and serve.

Whole30 Ketchup

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tomato paste
  • .5 cup apple cider*
  • .5 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • .5 tsp salt

*Make sure you follow the Whole30 rules when buying apple cider. No sugar added or in the ingredient list.

Directions:

  • Heat a medium saucepan ove medium heat. Add the tomato paste, apple cider, and vinegar. Stir completely and let it come to a simmer, do not allow to boil.
  • Add the garlic powder and salt and cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching – you may need to turn the heat down to low or simmer here.
  • Simmer until the ketchup has thickened enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Serve when cool. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.