French Toast Breakfast (anytime!) Muffins

These are so moist and delicious. They're called breakfast muffins, but I don't know why you can't have tasty treats anytime of day! I like making these in the tiny muffin tins. They're almost bite-size and easier for my kids to enjoy. There was a time where I made these about three times a week for a month!

 

Ingredients:
~ 1/3 c. butter, melted
~ 1/2 c. sugar
~ 1 egg (preferably room temperature)
~ 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
~ 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
~ 1/2 c. milk

Topping (option: cut topping in half*)
~ 1/2 c. sugar
~ 1/2 c. butter, melted
~ 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir just until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Do NOT over mix; over mixing will ruin the texture of the finished muffins. Also? Don't over mix the batter. Finally, don't over mix. Scoop batter into muffin tins that have sprayed with cooking spray. Using a large ice cream scoop, I got 8 medium-large muffins out of this batter; I think you could get 10-12 muffins by distributing the batter a little less generously. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they just start to turn a bit golden at the edges.

For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter (you can dip just the top, but it's even tastier to dip the whole muffin!), then dip/roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar. *May have left-over topping; the extra topping can be used for dipping, while eating the muffins (oh my). Another option is to cut the topping ingredients in half. CONSUME, ENJOY, GO CRAZY!
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Angel Food Cake Skewers

A yummy Pinterest recipe that's fast and easy and Y-U-M-M-Y :)


Ingredients:
~ Angel Food Cake
~ Strawberries
~ White Chocolate
~ Milk Chocolate (chocolate bark works great for both)
~ Long Skewers

Directions:
Cut cake and strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Slide onto skewers, alternating between cake and strawberries. Heat chocolate in two separate bowls in the microwave until melted. With a spoon, drizzle chocolate, one at a time, over skewers. You can layer these as long as you give them a few minutes to harden before lying the next layer of skewers on top.

Sweet Potato Krisps

This is a recipe I found in one of my running magazines...cuz heaven knows we need our sweet potatoes! It's a little diff from the ordinary sweet potato fries (which I make with pumpkin pie spice, yum!) or a baked sweet potato with brown sugar.

Ingredients:
~ 2 med sweet potatoes, sliced in 1/8" rounds
~ 2 Tbsp olive oil
~ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
~ salt and pepper
~ 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
~ 2 Tbsp parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes in olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake, turning every 10 minutes, until they're just the way you like 'em. Sprinkle w/ sesame seeds and parsley.

Pigs in a Blanket

Every kids favorite! I love this because it's easy, my kids love it because it's finger food, and my man loves it because it's totally a guy food...meat n' rolls! I bring these to school Thanksgiving Finger-Food Feasts and the "mummy" dogs are a hit @ halloween. I cut the crescent rolls and hot dogs in half so they were about 3-4" long when cooked and I served them on a platter w/ ketchup n' mustard dips. They were a HUGE hit...with the adults too!!


Ingredients:
~ 1 pkg. hot dogs (cheap $.88/8 pk. are great for these) - make mini piggies with lil' smokies and they're fantastic too and a fun appetizer!
~ 1 pkg. crescent rolls (the cheap ones are perfect), biscuits work as well, but we like the crescent rolls.
~ ketchup
~ mustard

Directions:
If making full-sized, just open the crescent rolls and roll your little piggie in its blanket, with seam down. For smaller ones, cut crescent rolls and hot dogs in half and roll. Bake according to crescent roll directions. (Growing up, my mom made these with packaged biscuits instead of crescent rolls. Good also!) Serve with dips of ketchup and mustard.

*You can also place a slice of American cheese in the crescent roll with the hot dog if you'd like.

For a fun, spooky treat, you can make "Mummy" pigs in a blanket for halloween. Always a fun, festive fav!

Press together 2 crescent roll triangles to make a rectangle and slice into 10 strips lengthwise. Wrap around hot dog w/ seams on bottom and a space for mummy's "face."

Sausage Dip (recipe 1 of 2 sausage dip recipes)

Always a hit at parties!



Ingredients:
~ 1 regular sized package Jimmy Dean regular sausage
~ 1 regular sized package Jimmy Dean hot sausage
~ 1 pkg cream cheese
~ 1 can diced green chilies
~ 1 can diced tomatoes
~ 1 16oz container sour cream

Directions:
Cook sausage; add all ingredients to crock pot and heat. Serve in crock pot. Serve with tortilla chips or bread.

Recipe from: sister-in-laws, Crystal & Liz's ward cookbook

Heaven in a "bowl" appetizers/dip

These are SO good! You can use the filling by itself as a dip with crackers and it's amazing too!


Ingredients:
~ 1/2 lb sausage, cooked
~ 2 green onions
~ 1/2 each red & green peppers
~ 1 c. cheddar cheese
~ 1/4 c. ranch dressing
~ won ton wrappers (round if you can find them) YOU CAN MAKE AS A DIP W/OUT WON TONS

Directions:
~ Press won ton wrappers down muffin tins and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix all other ingredients together, fill baked wrappers and bake 5-7 min. more. Serve immediately. (If you can't find round won ton wrappers, fold in wrappers in half by opposite points, making a triangle, and round off the pointed ends.) IF MAKING DIP, MIX ALL INGREDIENTS & WARM IN MICROWAVE. Serve warm with chips, crackers or bread pieces.

Recipe from: mom

Amazing (2 ingredient!) Italian Grilled Chicken

I know this sounds too simple to be delicious, but the chicken turns out amazing every time! You can bake in the oven or, our fav, BBQ on the grill! You can skewer the chicken, cube it, cook it in strips, or as whole chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
~ Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins, we like them cubed and then skewered. As a rule, I don't love whole breasts, I'd rather have strips or cubes because there's more seasoning per bite!
~ Italian salad dressing mix (in the packets)

Directions:
If baking in the oven, melt a little butter (about 2T for a 13x9) in a shallow dish in the oven, remove pan from oven with melted butter and tilt pan so the butter spreads as evenly as possible. Place chicken in the pan in a single layer and sprinkle well with Italian dressing mix. Bake for 15 min. Turn chicken and sprinkle top side. Bake an additional 10 minutes or so (depending on how you cut your chicken, smaller pieces will cook quicker) until internal temp is 165 degrees. (Don't overcook or it will be dry!)

If grilling (THE BEST!!!), place chicken (however you've cut it) on a platter and season both sides well with Italian dressing mix. Place on the grill and grill on both sides until internal temp reaches 165. (Don't overcook or it will be dry!) ENJOY!!

Chili Cheese Dip in a Flash!

This is a fast and easy, easy dip. We throw it in a mini crock pot for parties last minute or have it along side of a meal at lunch or dinner.



Ingredients:
~ 2 cans chili
~ 1 15oz jar of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso (in the chip section)
~ Tortilla Chips, Fritos, or whatever you like

Directions:
In medium sized mixing bowl mix chili and cheese. Microwave until warm throughout, stirring frequently OR combine chili and cheese in a small crock pot. Cook on low until warm and serve in crock pot. You can microwave until warm and place in a crock pot on low so that it stays warm also.

Reeces Macadamia Cookie Cups

If you think you've had these before...think again! They're different from any I've had and SO much YUMMIER! Super easy too! Katelyn & I made them for Christmas and put white choc chips on top of the reeces just out of the oven. Cute n' tasty.


Ingredients:
~ 1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
~ 1 pkg (18 oz) individually wrapped portioned refrigerated white chip macadamia nut cookie dough
~ 24 miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:
Sprinkle macadamia nuts into 24 greased miniature muffin cups, 1 tsp. each. Cut each portion of cookie dough in half; place each half in a muffin cup. Bake at 325 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately place a peanut butter cup in each cookie; press down gently. Cool completely before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen

Cheese Ball/Dip

I love cheese balls and this is one of the best I've had yet. It's soft which makes it a great dip for any cracker.


Ingredients:
~ 2-8oz. pkgs cream cheese
~ 1/4 tsp. dry mustard (or 1 tsp. prepared mustard)
~ 2 1/2-3 tsp. Bon Appetit (It's a McCormick seasoning salt - in little seasoning bottles in the seasoning section)
~ tops of 2-3 green onions, minced

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients (your hands work fabulous for doing this :) and shape into 2 balls. Chill at least 24 hours before serving. Serve with crackers.

Recipe from: Friend, Shirley Cross

Zucchini Pizzas

These are fast, easy, and SOO good!!! I'm always looking for something to do with ALL of my garden zucchini, especially the overgrown ones, and this is perfect!! You've gotta try. You'd never think that zucchini could make such a yummy meal.


Ingredients:
~ Thick slices of zucchini (about 1/2" thick circles) I use the overgrown ones, any will do
~ Spaghetti or pizza sauce (only about 1 Tbs for each)
~ Mozzarella cheese
~ Pepperoni (I use the mini ones)
~ Olives, sliced (optional)
You could probably add more toppings but, I've never tried anything else



Assembled and ready to bake





Directions:
Spray a cookie sheet with PAM. Place zucchini slices onto cookie sheet. Top each w/ about 1 Tbs sauce and spread. Sprinkle with cheese and spread pepperoni and olives on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is as tender as you'd like. Let cool a few minutes and serve with forks.

Recipe from: Mrs. Wolfe, Katelyn's 1st grade teacher at Ridgecrest Elementary

PF Chang's Shrimp Dumplings

Ingredients:
~ 1 lb. peeled & deveined medium shrimp, washed and dried
~ 2 T minced fine carrot
~ 2 T minced fine green onion
~ 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
~ 2 tsp oyster sauce
~ 1/4 tsp sesame oil
~ 1 package wonton wrappers

Sauce:
~ 1 cup soy sauce
~ 1 1/2 oz. white vinegar
~ 1/2 tsp chili paste
~ 1 T sugar
~ 1/4 oz. minced fresh ginger
~ 1 c. water
~ 1/4 oz. cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:
Take 1/2 lb of the shrimp and mince fine in a food processor. Take the other 1/2 lb and small dice. Combine remaining ingredients. With a small spoon place approx 1/2 oz of mixture into the skin. Moisten the outside edge. Fold corner to corner (opposite) and seal. The top should look like a cross. Place on a place covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Combine sauce ingredients and mix very well. Prepare garnishes.

Have a soup pot filled with water. Bring to a boil, then down to a slight boil. Line the bottom of a steamer with a light coat of vegetable oil or nonstick spray. Place dumplings in steamer. Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes. Dumplings should be firm with an internal temp of 160 degrees. Serve with dipping sauce. (if you want them a little crispier, you can add olive oil to a frying pan and fry on both sides until golden brown)

Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
~ 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
~ 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
~ 3/4 cups grated Parmesan
~ 3/4 c. light mayo
~ 1/2 c. cheese
~ 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~ Mix all ingredients until well blended and spoon into a 9 inch square baking dish or pie plate. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Fiesta Dip

This is a great dip for company. Shawn and I had it for dinner one night with homemade cheese taquitos and dipped them instead of chips. Yummy dinner, Shawn really liked it. (I posted the recipe for taquitos also)












Ingredients:
• 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican style cheese, divided
• 1 pkt. taco seasoning mix
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup sliced black olives
• Ritz Toasted Chips, original (or any cracker/chip would work)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup of the shredded cheese, the taco seasoning and onions in medium bowl. Stir in chicken.
Spoon into 9 inch pie plate or small baking dish. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining ½ cup shredded cheese, the tomatoes and olives. Serve with the chips. (these also go great with my homemade taquito recipe, made simply by leaving out the meat in the taquitos).