Easy Home Made Donuts!

Earlier this month a Dunkin' Donuts was opened in town. Today I had the hankering for a good doughnut and some ice coffee; so instead of going out and spending money I decided to make my own! The kids loved them so they must be good. haha!

Ingredients

1 Can of Buttermilk Biscuits (use any kind EXCEPT flaky)
Oil
Stick of Butter melted in a bowl
Cinnamon & Sugar in a bowl (as much as you'd like)

Directions

Add oil to a pan, about 1/2in deep and heat it up on medium heat.
While that is heating up, cut holes into each biscuit. I used a water canteen top, but use anything you find.
When the oil is ready add the donuts to the pan. Keep a close eye on them since they brown quickly.
When the bottom side is brown, flip with tongs or a fork.
When that side is brown, remove from oil & drain on a paper towel.


When the donuts have cooled enough to touch dip one side of the donuts in the butter then in the sugar mix.
Flip & do it again.
Now go ahead and eat them up!

My Famous Pumpkin Roll

Two times every year I receive requests to make my pumpkin roll, the weekend of my BIL & FIL birthday dinner and Thanksgiving. I am not a pumpkin person, can't stand it actually, except for pumpkin roll. The sweetness of the filling makes up for the pumpkin. 

For the cake:

3/4 C. Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/4 Tsp Salt

3 Lrg. Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

2/3 C. Pumpkin Puree

For the filling: 

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

6 Tbsp Butter, Softened

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1/4 Cup Pecans, Chopped

Extra powdered sugar for dusting of towel & cake once finished

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a pan with wax paper and then lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pie spice, and salt. Mix and set aside.

In another bowl beat the sugar and eggs until smooth. Add the pumpkin and vanilla until combined.

Finally add the dry ingredients until the batter forms. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth until there is an even layer.

Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Immediately invert the cake onto a towel that is sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up the cake and towel together. Cool completely.

Filling:

While the cake is cooling in the towel start the filling. 

Combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. 

Beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. 

Once the cake is cooled, unroll it and remove it from the towel onto a clean surface. 

Spread the frosting over the cake and sprinkle the chopped pecans over top, now re-roll the cake. 

Wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cutting. 

Easy Garlic Knots

1/4 Cup Butter, Melted

3/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 Tsp Dried Parsley Flakes

1/4 Tsp Salt

1 Tube of Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a cookie sheet.

In a small bowl combine the butter, garlic, oregano, parsley, and salt.

Halve each of the biscuits, making 16 pieces. Roll out each piece into 5in ropes and tie into a knot, tucking the ends under. 

Place knots onto prepared baking sheet and brush on half of the butter mixture. 

Place into oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. 

When done, remove from oven and brush with the rest of the butter mixture. 

Meatballs & White Sauce

I would say sweedish meatballs but these aren't exactly that, so I will say white sauce. My favorite part about this meal is that the meatballs are made in the oven. No need to stand by the stove frying them up.

Meatballs

2lbs Ground Beef

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup Chopped Onions

1 Cup Bread Crumbs

1/4 Cup Milk

White Sauce

1 Cup Beef Stock

1 Cup Milk or Heavy Cream

1 Tsp Soy Sauce

2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Sprinkle of Garlic Powder

3 Tbsp Flour

Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While waiting for the oven to heat combine all ingredients in a large bowl & mix together. 

Shape into balls & place on a cookie sheet.

Once heated, put meatballs into the oven for 15-20 mins.

While waiting for the meatballs to cook you can start the sauce.

Whisk together the stock & milk in a sauce pan on Medium-High heat.

Once boiling add the rest of the ingredients & continue to whisk until thick, 10 mins.

By now the meatballs should be done. Remove from oven & add to sauce (after it thickens).

Remove from heat & serve over noodles!

Edible (Eggless) Cookie Dough

Ingredients
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Butter

1/4 Tsp Vanilla

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Cup Flour

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions

In a large bowl mix together the sugar & butter until smooth.

Add in the milk & vanilla until combined.

Next add the flour & salt until blended.

Then fold in the chocolate chips.

EAT, EAT, EAT!

**Note: I advise to NOT use this as actual cookie dough to bake cookies. 

Quick Chicken & Broccoli With Rice

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Oil

4 Large Chicken Thighs, cooked and chopped

1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli

1 Bag of Frozen Snap Peas

LaChoy Stir Fry Sauce

Cooked Rice

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan.

When ready add broccoli and snap peas, toss to coat. 

Place lid on pan and let the veggies steam cook for about 5-10mins. 

Once cooked, add the chopped chicken & the stir fry sauce. 

Stir & allow the chicken to warm up. (about 3-4mins). 

Remove from heat and serve over cooked rice. 

This recipe makes enough food for 2 adults and 2 toddlers to have seconds plus left overs. Peter says this is one of his favorite meals. I think it's so quick and so easy to make. The kids eat more than one serving! If you enjoy chinese food you will love this dish. 

Creamy Garlic Shells

So delicious, these shells taste just like the store bought packets (minus the nasty additives)! Whenever I go to the food store I find myself turning away from the noodle and rice packets. They're so tempting. Always on sale, quick in a pinch, & tasty....well now I can have the same taste & ease with this recipe.

8oz Medium Pasta Shells

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 Tbsp Flour

3/4 C Chicken Broth

3/4 C Milk

salt & pepper

1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tsp Parsley

                                                      Cook noodles like normal & drain. 

 Return pot to medium heat on the stove then melt butter. Add garlic & saute until brown. 

 Sprinkle in flour then whisk & cook for 1 min.

 Slowly add chicken brother and milk, continuing to whisk until smooth. 

 Season with salt & pepper then switch to a wooden spoon to mix until thick & bubbly. 

 Take pot off heat. Stir in parmesan cheese, garlic powder, & parsley until combined. 

Add cooked pasta & stir until covered. 

Serve!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients

3 Large Chicken Breasts (cooked and chopped)

1/2 lb Honey Ham (chopped)

1/2 lb Swiss Cheese (sliced thin)

Sauce

4 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

3 Cups Milk

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard (I added a little more)

1 Tsp Paprika

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Topping

4 Tbsp Melted Butter

1 1/2 Cups Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Spray a 9x13in casserole dish with cooking spray.

Spread the chicken evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Top with the ham.

Evenly add the swiss cheese on top of the ham.

Melt 4Tbsp on butter in a sauce pan.

Once melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about a minute.

Slowly add the milk to avoid clumps, continue whisking.

Turn the heat on to high.

Constantly whisk until the sauce thickens and boils.

Remove from heat.

Add lemon juice, mustard, pepper, salt, and paprika.

Mix and pour over the cheese in the casserole dish. 

In a bowl mix together the melted butter and bread crumbs.

Stir together until the crumbs are moist. 

Sprinkle over the casserole dish. 

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Once done, take out of oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Eating/Drinking While Breastfeeding Tips

When breastfeeding my son and daughter I admit that I really didn't cut anything out. Of course there were the common sense things such as spicy foods (which I didn't eat much of anyway) or excessive amounts of coffee (I went down to one cup a day). I did however add more water and protein. I was lucky enough to have babies that had no reactions to what I ate, they enjoyed it all!  

Not all breastfeeding mom's are that lucky though. I have seen several friends go through trial and error trying to figure out what they were eating that was causing their baby to get a rash or have horrible gas. I'm hoping this post will help you and any other mom that has questions about what to eat while breastfeeding.

Caffeine?

You should have no more then 300mg of caffeine a day which equals about three 5-ounce cups of coffee. For me, I cut down to one cup of coffee a day. It was enough to give me the energy I needed in the morning and enough to not want to hurt anybody because I didn't have my coffee(:

Alcohol?

After drinking an alcoholic drink it takes two to three hours for your body to work out the alcohol. One small glass of wine or a beer is perfectly fine, but more then that should be timed with your feeding schedule.
When I first started breastfeeding my son the doctor actually told me to have a beer at night to help me relax.

Fish?

Be careful. Find a list of the fish you are fine to eat and not to eat, HERE.

Flavors of The Food?

Sometimes the flavors of the food that you eat (such as broccoli) can taint the flavor of your milk. Foods such as broccoli, cabbage, garlic, spicy foods, and caffeine can change the flavor of your breast milk and make baby gassy. If you notice baby being fussy and having gas try to remember what you ate before the previous feeding. You may need to cut something out.

Eat more of...

-Complex Carbs

    Fresh fruits & veggies and whole grains.

-Healthy Fats

    Canola oil, olive oil, salmon, avocado, and nuts.

HERE, is a chart of the daily food group servings for a breast feeding mom.

Citrus Foods/Drinks?

These are foods/drinks which you can still eat but in moderation. Certain compounds in citrus can lead to diaper rash, spitting up, and fussiness in your baby. Switch out an orange for a mango, you will still get your vitamin C.



**Don't forget to eat the extra calories needed while breastfeeding! An extra 300-500 calories is need to help maintain your supply.


**Don't forget to drink extra water! At least 16 cups a day is recommended. I always had a glass next to me while feeding because that's when I got really thirsty.

Korean Beef

Is it one of those days where you waited last minute to pull something out for dinner? Or perhaps you just don't feel like cooking but aren't able to get take out? This recipe is simple, delicious, and quick to make! 

The ingredients below are for a family with two adults and two toddlers, it leaves a little left over for my husbands lunch. So please feel free to change the amounts of each according to the size of your family.

Ingredients

2 Pounds Ground Beef

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Oil

6 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Peppers

Salt and Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped

1 Orange Bell Pepper, Chopped (optional)

Rice, Cooked

Roman Lettuce, Whole Leaf

Directions

Heat a large pan over medium heat and brown the beef with the garlic and bell peppers in your oil. 

Once browned, drain the fat and add your brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Simmer for a few minutes so the flavors can mix.

Serve over your cooked rice or spoon into a lettuce leaf to eat like a taco. 

Banana Bread

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened

2 Eggs

1 Cup Mashed Rip Banana's

1/3 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of a 9x5 or 8x4 bread pan with cooking spray or butter.

In a large bowl mix together the sugar and butter with a spoon until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs until combined. Next stir in the bananas, milk, and vanilla until blended.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Once mixed add all of it to the banana mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Pour into your greased bread pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, remove and cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing.

Sugar Cookies!

I woke up this morning and needed something sweet to much on! So after breakfast and when the kids went down for naps I broke out my kitchen aid mixer and started to make some cookies! This cookies are my absolute favorite to dip in milk or coffee. Ah, yummy.  Not only are they easy to make they are super quick too.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Extra sugar to roll dough in

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

Using your mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. 

Scrape the sides then add the egg and vanilla.

Slowly blend in the dry ingredients. The dough won't form into a ball, it will remain separated after the ingredients are combined.

Roll the dough into balls, and roll in sugar. 

Place on your cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.

When done, remove from cookie sheet and let cool.

Enjoy with some milk or coffee! 

Pretzel Bites (bread machine style)

Not sure about you but every time I am at the mall I always end up at Auntie Anne's Pretzel Shop. The amazing butter flavor that the pretzels have is so delicious, not to mention the smell of them baking! My pregnancy cravings have been driving me insane and today I caved for one of them, soft pretzels. Here is how I ended my craving and made soft pretzel bites at home using my bread machine (that taste just as good as Auntie Anne's!)

Ingredients:

1 1/8 Cup Water
3 Cups Flour
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Yeast

2 Quarts Water
1/2 Cup Baking Soda

Melted Butter
Kosher Salt OR
Cinnamon & Sugar


Directions:

In a bread machine combine the first group of ingredients (water, flour, b.sugar, and yeast). Select the dough setting and watch dough for the first couple mins adding flour or water, if needed, a tablespoon at a time.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and tear it into balls.

In a sauce pan bring water and baking soda to a boil. Drop the dough balls into the water, waiting 10-15sec, then remove to paper towels to drain. Place the already boiled and drained balls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10mins or until brown (it happens fast so keep an eye on them) in a 425 degree oven.

Brush with melted butter and top with salt or roll in cinnamon and sugar. ENJOY!