Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork with Baked Sliced Sweet Taters

I have been getting very bored with pork lately. My husband likes pork roasts and pork chops a lot, and I find myself making the same marinades, or just making Pork Chops. I have also always had a hard time finding a good crock pot Pork recipe...well, I found a few online, combined them all, changed a lot of things, and came up with a recipe, that turned out to be UNBELIEVABLE! It smelled so good, I kept going to the crock pot throughout the day and tasting it! I decided to make sliced sweet potatoes as a side. Usually I do some type of potato or squash as a side with pork, and my son LOVES sweet potatoes, as does my husband so I went with those tonight. Added some green beans, and topped it off with homemade corn bread (the corn bread will be in a separate post)! Our dinner was awesome!! 

Tonight's Dinner

Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork 

Ingredients:

1 1-2 lb boneless pork loin

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Put everything in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. I recommend a smaller crock pot so the pork is better covered in the liquid. If you are home, turn the pork every few hours to make sure it is well covered in the liquid. Either way, it will be great!

I don't think recipes get much easier! 

Baked Sliced Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut half the stick of butter into 8 slices. Place the butter on the bottom of the pan. 

Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into thin circular slices. Line the pan with the sweet potato. Cut the remainder of the butter into 8 more slices. Place on top of the sweet potatoes. Cover the top with the brown sugar. 

Pan should look like this: 

Place the pan in the oven and baked for 45 mins. The sweet potatoes will be darker in color and very soft, you will easily be able to stick a fork in them. 

Enjoy!! 

Best Banana Pancakes. Ever.

My girls and I LOVE pancakes, all different varieties. In fact, I don't think I've made plain pancakes in over 5 years.  Our favorite lately has to be these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes.  I took a basic pancake recipe and turned it into something absolutely delicious, if you like bananas  :)  This recipe makes about 18-20 pancakes, and they freeze very well.  Just pop them in the toaster or microwave to reheat!

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1T sugar
2t baking powder
1/4t salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2T oil
2 bananas, cut up or mashed
1t vanilla
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients.  Mix dry and wet ingredients.  Pour batter into preheated frying pan.  Cook on low heat to be sure the pancake cooks all the way through the middle.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

One of my favorite summer dishes at a BBQ, is pasta salad. I also have a love for buffalo chicken. My husband on the other hand hates pasta salad AND buffalo chicken, weird I know. I used to forgo making pasta salads, or any type of buffalo chicken dish, then one day I had a bright idea. Why not combine the two, and make a fantastic Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad! I knew my husband couldn't argue because we still always have his favorite potato salad, so it wasn't like I was replacing his salad with one only I liked. We first made this salad for my son's baptism a month ago, and it was a HUGE hit. Not a drop of pasta salad left, and since then I always get asked to make it for other events. Sometimes I just make a batch for the week and eat it at lunch :)

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb box of spiral pasta
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 onion (optional)
2 cups of cooked, diced chicken breast *
1 cup of Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup of Franks Red Hot
1/2 cup of mayo**

*Tyson makes a bag of precooked, diced chicken breast. Its juicy and great, comes in the freezer section in a green bag. If you are looking for a quick, minimal prep way to make the salad, this is a great way!

**They now have buffalo mayo, which is a great substitute for regular mayo in this recipe :)

Directions: 


Cook the pasta, drain, and set aside. I usually put my pasta in the fridge after it is done while I make everything else.  If you do this, make sure you rinse the pasta in cold water before doing so, this helps it not stick together!

While the pasta is cooking, prepare your chicken. If you use the Tyson bag, just warm it in a skillet. Once its heated all the way through, put it in a bowl and place it in the fridge. If you don't go the Tyson route, use 3-4 chicken breasts, cook them in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil or butter. I also usually put a 1/2 of water in the skillet to keep the chicken from drying out. Once the chicken is cooked, cut it into small cubes. You can also pre-cut the chicken in cubes before cooking, this makes it cook MUCH faster! Again, place the chicken in the fridge.

After the chicken and pasta are in the fridge, get out a large bowl. Dice both the green and red pepper and place in the bowl. Next, dice the onion into very small pieces and add to the bowl. I am not an onion fan, so I only use about half the onion. Add the pasta from the fridge. Next add the Ranch/Blue Cheese (I use ranch), Franks Red Hot, and mayo. mix together until everything is coated. Then add the chicken and mix again. Cover and chill. Serve cold.

I prefer to make this the night before a party so it can get nice and cold in the fridge. One batch can serve 20-30 people! Enjoy!

America meets China.....

Apple Pie Wontons

I make different flavors of homemade applesauce for my girls all the time, they love it!  And, I've made a few different appetizers using wonton wrappers, they're always a hit at parties.  The other night, I thought I should try a recipe that combined the two.  Turned out to be a tasty little snack!  I definitely plan on making these again and using different combinations of fruit for different tastes.  I foresee a wonton dessert tray at a future party  :)


Ingredients:
fruit mixture
wonton wrappers
sprinkle of sugar
non-stick cooking spray


Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini muffin pan with a non-stick cooking spray.  Place 1 wonton wrapper in each muffin cup, making sure the sides fold in a bit so the bottom can be flat.  Fill with fruit mixture.  Cover with a tin foil 'tent'. Bake 8-10 minutes.  Take tin foil 'tent' off, sprinkle a bit of sugar over the fruit mixture, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes, until the wonton wrapper is slightly browned and the fruit mixture has started to bubble.  Remove and cool on cooling rack.  Serve warm or room temperature.  These would be very yummy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, Wonton A La Mode! Makes about 20.


Fruit Mixture:
Chop desired fruit. ( I used 2 apples and 2 pears for this batch. I also left the skins on.)  Place chopped fruit in sauce pan and add about 1/4 cup of water and a sprinkle or two (or three!) of cinnamon.  Simmer on low heat till the fruit softens, about 15-20 minutes.  Be sure to stir a few times while cooking and add water if it begins to look too dry. The fruit will burn if there isn't enough liquid! Puree fruit mixture or leave chunky.  

Grilled Pizza

I have a new summer favorite.......GRILLED PIZZAS!!! 


I have a small love affair with pizzas, could probably eat them every day and never get tired of them.  I love all kinds of crusts, and various sauces and toppings.  And, I'm all about making homemade pizzas.  It's a cheaper, definitely better than waiting 45 minutes to an hour for home delivery, and the best part is, you can put as many of your favorite toppings on as you want.  :)  But, baking pizzas in the oven on a hot summer day is just crazy-talk! On the other hand, grilling pizzas outside is genius!  It makes the crust nice and crispy, while melting the cheese and heating the toppings exactly the way they should be.  Just grab your favorite flatbread, pita, whatever kind of pizza crust you enjoy, and load it up with sauce and all your favorite toppings.  And, how fun would it be to host a backyard BBQ pizza party style?!  Have a buffet table with all kinds of different meats, veggies, cheeses, and sauces, and let everyone build their own pizzas. I definitely want to get a Pizza BBQ scheduled with my friends and family this summer!


Here's what my husband and I grilled up tonight.  Doesn't it look delicious?!

Ingredients:
Kontos onion flatbread (personal pizza size)
pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese mix
browned ground Italian sausage
sauteed green peppers
garlic powder


Directions:
Spread the pizza sauce on the crust, sprinkle the cheese all over, load up on the toppings, and sprinkle garlic powder on top.  Place in preheated grill for about 4-6 minutes.  Once the cheese has melted and the crust has been grilled to your liking, remove, cut and enjoy!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!

So today was my son's 18 month birthday. No, we don't celebrate half birthdays generally, but I needed an excuse to make a fun summer dessert! I LOVE pink lemonade, I love cupcakes, so these are two of my favorite things joined together!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:


Cupcakes:

1 package white cake mix
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
3 Tbsp sweetened pink lemonade drink mix (the powder)
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lemon zest (this is about a 1/3 of a lemon)
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 whites eggs
4-6 drops of red or pink food coloring

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest from the rest of the lemon from above
2 pound package or 7 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4-6 drops of pink or red food coloring


Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in the cupcake pans, set aside.  I recommend using a KitchenAid type mixer for this recipe, the batter is thick, as is the frosting.  


In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, pudding mix, and drink mix. Then add sour cream, lemon zest, water, oil, and egg whites to the mix and beat on medium for about two minutes, until everything is well blended. Then add 4-6 drops of food coloring to the batter. Just enough to tint the cupcakes pink! 

Scoop batter into 24 lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (make sure the toothpick comes out clean!).  Let the cupcakes cool. 

Cupcakes straight from the oven! 

I recommend you make the frosting while the cupcakes are baking. This frosting goes on best when cold, especially if you are going to pipe the frosting on. 

Using the KitchenAid, cream the butter, shortening, and lemon zest together. Make sure they are well blended, and then add lemonade concentrate, milk and vanilla. Beat on medium high until smooth. Add the sugar slowly, and you will need to turn your mixer on high once all the sugar is added. Whip until the frosting is light and fluffy. You will see peaks in the frosting. Finally, add the food coloring. I always use red food coloring, and add about 5-6 drops until it is a bright but light pink color. 


Put the frosting in the fridge covered for 30-60 minutes (while the cupcakes cool, chill the frosting). 

Piped frosting with hot pink sugar crystals! 

I recommend piping the frosting on the cupcakes. I will address how to do this in a later blog, or feel free to ask any questions. Honestly, my husband is much better at piping cupcakes than I am, but I couldn't get him to help tonight! After the cupcakes are frosted, sprinkle hot pink sugar crystals over the cupcakes. Everyone who knows me, knows I love any type of sprinkle! I buy in bulk so I do not have a nice container to shake them out from, so I use a small hand sifter to sprinkle on the sugar crystals. 

Cupcakes with Neon Straws

To make the cupcakes more fun, you can put neon colored straws in them for decorations, or fruit candy wedges. I personally don't like fruit candy wedges, so I didn't do this, but they add a very cute touch!  

Enjoy! And Happy 18 months to my little E! 








Featured Products:
The KitchenAid Professional, my mixer of choice! 



Hand Sifter/Strainer

Italian Lemon Shrimp

Tonight I made a DELICIOUS shrimp dish! We had company over, and I needed something quick and easy since I had to work all day, but impressive enough for company. So with a 10 minute trip to the grocery store, 10 minutes of prep time, and 10 minutes in the oven, here is what I came up with :)

 Italian Lemon Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lemon

1 lime

1 stick of butter

1.5 lbs of uncooked shrimp

1 packet of Italian dressing mix

1 tsp. minced garlic 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan or cookie sheet with tin foil. 

Remove shells, tails, and veins of the shrimp. Make sure they are completely clean. Set aside. 

Melt the stick of butter. While the butter is melting, cut 3/4 of the lemon into slices. Keep the top 1/4 of the lemon and set it aside. Place the lemon slices on the foil covered pan. Drizzle the melted butter on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the minced garlic across the pan. 

Place the uncooked shrimp into a bowl, and pour the packet of Italian dressing mix over the shrimp. Mix until the shrimp are well coated. 

Place the shrimp flat on the pan. Do not over lap the shrimp or the lemon slices. Take the top of the lemon that was set aside and squeeze the lemon juice over the shrimp. Then cut the lime in half, and squeeze the lime juice over the shrimp. 

Your pan should look like this: 

Place the pan in the oven and cook at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and white. Do not over cook the shrimp. The finished pan should look like this: 

This was definitely a keeper! For those of you who want to avoid turning your oven on in this heat, you can easily make a foil pouch for this, and throw it on the grill! Also, I think next time I will add some veggies like zucchini and peppers and cook them with the shrimp! I served this with a side of angel hair. You could do this with a tortellini, rice, or roasted veggies as well! 

Enjoy!

P.S. For anyone on a Gluten Free diet, Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix is gluten free :) So this is a great Gluten Free recipe!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Bake

Tonight's dinner was a delicious easy healthy casserole! I adapted a recipe that I had found online, and simplified it! Next time, I will definitely use bread crumbs, rather than the crackers, although the crackers added some great crunch to the meal! Also, I think I will add 2 cups of cooked pasta, elbows or spirals! You could easily add some extra veggies as well! Enjoy! 

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Bake 

Ingredients: 

1 lb. fresh broccoli 

2 cups of cooked chicken breast (about 3-4 chicken breasts)

4 cups of finely grated cheddar cheese (divided) 

2 tubes of Ritz Crackers or 2 cups of bread crumbs

1 stick of melted butter AND 1/3 cup of melted butter 

1/4 cup Cornstarch 

1/2 cup COLD water 

1/3 cup Chicken Broth 

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper 

2 cup Milk 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop broccoli into small pieces, steam for two minutes. Cook chicken, cut into small cubes. 

In a greased 13x9 pan, layer broccoli and chicken. Set aside. 

Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup COLD water. Then, in a saucepan, combine 1/3 cup melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and milk, cook over medium heat for 5-6 mins. Sauce will slightly thicken. Turn heat to medium-low, add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir and cook until the sauce is smooth.

Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken and broccoli. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheddar cheese. 

Crush two sleeves of Ritz crackers (or you can use bread crumbs). Melt 1 stick of butter, and stir in the crackers (or bread crumbs). Spread the mixture over the top of the cheese. 

Bake for 30 mins at 350 degrees or until bubbling. 

Welcome to our blog! We are two busy moms from Wisconsin that love to cook and bake in our spare time! We are always trying new recipes for delicious, easy, and healthy dinners for our families! Each week we will be posting new recipes, anything from crock pot meals, 30 minute dinners, creative side dishes, fun new drinks, and delicious desserts. We will even be posting some fun home made baby food recipes! We will be giving you tips on meal planning, fun new cooking products, and baking tricks! Also, each week we will feature some of our favorite kitchen appliances and utensils! We hope you love cooking along with us!

                  Enjoy!
                      Colleen & Kristyn