Dip-Dip Night....read on... I Promise

Soo how many times a week does the "Dang it's really five and I have to make dinner again" blues, hit you square in the face.Yeah welcome to my world Grandma,and I have ten people sitting down at my dinner table. UGH.
Well a SURE fire dinner at my house is "Dip-Dip Night", more highly regarded then even "Pizza Night", not kidding!

What ya'll need:
On the way home from work have your Hubie pick up a:

VEGGIE TRAY
2 loaves whole grain Baguette ( toast and slice)
1 bag Tortilla chips...

Now for your dips:
Queso~ Like you get from Chili's (click here for recipe)
Pesto (click here for recipe)
Ranch (from your tray)

See the before and after....yeah ...try it, love it...thank me later.

Banana-Blueberry Granola Yougurt Parfaits

Uh...YEAh...and they are sooo easy and SINFULLY delish...and my kids LOVE em..and you look like your being fancy when really your just being practical...and this week I SWEAR I am making homemade yogurt...

So what y'all need: (pending on how many peeps you are feeding) I used BIG containers...cause we ate this for one morning while camping...and YES I said CAMPING at bear lake...we made em in plastic red disposable cups...and used my Homemade Granola.

3 different flavors of Yogurt (one kind'll do though)I used Raspberry, Peach and Strawberry
1 box r' gallon size bag of Store Bough or Homemade Granola
1 fresh box of washed blueberries
sliced banana

Layer in glass cups cause it'll look prettier...but heck if your camping ...use my advice and disposable all the way!
I started with 1/4 Granola, 5 blue berries, and 3 slices banana...next yogurt and then repeat as many layers as you need to get to the top of the cup. I found the yogurt layer needs 3 to 4 Table spoons...to with a blueberry and a nana.

Frozen Hot Cocoa~ EASY!

So here's the thing...I am one of those people that HAVE to have something sweet after dinner, it can even be a plate of fruit...or a dish of yogurt, lets be honest if it is Chocolate in one form or another...this girl is soo much happier! I saw a post for this recipe back in Novemberish ...right Kimber?...any-who, made it loved it...stored it away for warmer sunnier days...I am giving you the faster , less fat filled version...and then the slower creamier, more guilt-filled but sooo worth it version....

Here goes...equal parts of Fat Free Milk (or water)& Ice and some Hot Cocoa Mix....and walah....

My blender for optimal servings, and no explosion is (P.S. I do have a quote in my kitchen that says " Having a lot of Children is like owning a Blender with out a lid") ...not kidding.
Have fun ...and the short people can even make this dandie!

3 cups milk
3 cups Ice
1 2/3 cups Cocoa mix...

blend it , drink it , love it.
Later I will add a homemade version of Cocoa mix....

Sooo here at the bottom is the one you make your hubbie....and yourself AFTER the kiddies are in bed...or after dinner with BIG people...(I faintly remember those days)....bottoms up!


3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar (or baking sugar)
1 envelope (2 to 3 tablespoons) Double Chocolate Meltdown, Rich Chocolate or Milk Chocolate Flavor NESTLÉ Hot Cocoa Mix
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup each NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Milk Chocolate Morsels
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk, divided
4 cups ice cubes
Whipped cream

Homemade Fruit Leather

If your kids are anything like mine ....SNACKS are NOT optional...they are as important as the AIR they breath...please tell me I am not the ONLY mom whose life revolves around the short people needing to feed again.
String Cheese, baggies of Granola, Cut up fruit, Veggies...you name it they WILL eat it.
Well tired of the whole "fruit snack" movement...what the he%# are in those things anyway?...I found this recipe and thought "Ya Boss"...

So here goes...and I KNOW what they are putting in those beautiful busy bodies!
Thank you my "Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade Cool kids Cooking Book"!

Items Needed:
1 bag (16 oz) desired loose-pack frozen fruit, thawed*
Sugar (optional) * I use organic

Preheat oven to 140 degrees F or warm setting.Loosely line a 17x12 inch rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap,leaving extra plastic wrap draping over edges, set aside.

Place thawed fruit in a blender.
Blend up on Puree. Scrape side and make sure everything is completely blended up and smooth...

Next pour in pan...tilt pan back and forth until the bottom of pan is evenly covered.

Place baking pan in preheated oven. leave oven door open about 4-6 inches to allow moisture to escape.

Dry fruit for about 6 hours or until middle of puree is barley sticky...

Place on wire rack and cool completely.

To remove from pan, peel plastic wrap back back. Working from one of the short ends, roll fruit leather up, peeling back the plastic wrap as you go.

Cut up into single serving size with a sharp knife.

Store in Airtight container: or Gallon size baggie (hello am I the only person on earth whose Tupperware lids disappear?)they can stay at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, refrigerator, for two months..or freezer for three!

If you are using fruits that tend to brown such as peaches...add a table spoon of lemon juice to Blender...

Fruit idea's:

Strawberry
Blueberry
Mango/Strawberry
Peach/Blueberry
Apple/Strawberry
Plum/Cherry

Devils Food Cake Cupcakes or Cake w/ PB Frosting (to DIE for)*

THIS IS SUPER EASY... we made this up on a Sunday I was craving Reeses PB cups ...and we didn't have any....I have made this into cupcakes...and topped them with min reeses cups...
This frosting tastes so much like the middle of reeses cups you will want to eat just the frosting!

Ingredients:

Make Devils food Cake, or cupcakes according to Box

Frosting:
1 jar Jiff 18 oz creamy frosting
1 can 16 oz Cream Cheese Frosting
1 can 16 oz Vanilla Frosting

Directions:
With hand mixer beat PB and Frosting's together.
Frost Cake....lick the frosting off your fingers!!!!

Chili-Lime Chicken and Lemon Asparagus ~Grilled EASY

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  

Directions

Preheat a grill.

Place asparagus in Gallon sized baggie: Drizzle oil over the asparagus, add lemon juice and salt shake bag until they are coated. Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breasts, washed and pat dry (as many as you are serving)
• lime wedges, one lime per chicken breast
• chili powder
• sea salt

Directions

Preheat a grill.

Put chicken on grill and Immediately squeeze lime juice over the top, sprinkle first with chili powder, next salt. Continue to coat at least four times while you flip and grill chicken.
Leaves chicken moist and YUMMMMY!

Chicken Alfredo Ravioli EASY (Double & Freeze)

RECIPE FOR 3 Qt. Pyrex Glass Pan

Ingredients

• 2 package frozen cheese tortellini (found in Freezer section)
  
• 2 cups cup up cooked chicken ( pre-grilled chicken is used here)
  
• 2 jars (1 lb.) Ragu ® Cheesy! Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
• Garlic Salt to Taste
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan to Sprinkle
  

Directions:

In 3-quart saucepan, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain, and to a 3Qt. Pyrex Glass pan.
Pour Ragu Sauce in and mix in...add garlic salt if desired. Sprinkle with Cheeses...and bake at 350 for 30 minutes....
my kids GOBBLE this up.
* You could also add broccoli florets if you wanted to get a little more green into this dish!

Shredded BBQ Pork Sandwichs~ EASY (Crock-Pot)

* I also have a recipe on here for YUMMY apple-shredded pork
* GREAT for after church get togethers!!!

Ingredients:
1 3lb Pork Shoulder Roast
1 40 oz Bottle Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce (Walmart or Costco)
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup dehydrated chopped onion
or 1 small chopped white onion
2-3 packages wheat or white hamburger buns

Directions:
Pam Crock-Pot
add ingredients
cook on HIGH for 6-8 hours...
shred and ENJOY!!!!

Ez puddn’ pie

What you will need:
1 store bought graham cracker crust
2 pkgs favorite instant pudding
1 tub cool whip topping
milk


Directions:
Make pudding according to pie directions on package… pour directly into graham cracker crust… refrigerate.

Fun combo’s are double layers of banana and chocolate pudding or spread creamy peanut butter on crust before adding chocolate pudding. A cream cheese pudding mixed with frozen strawberries is really yummy!

Chili Cheese Fries

What you will need…
1 bag frozen Fajita or Spicy Fries
2 cans of your favorite Chili
1 lb. of shredded cheese

Serve with Canned Green Beans.

Directions:
1st On a Greased Cookie Sheet Bake all fries spread out well … at 400 for 20 minutes.
Next open canned Chili… stir it up in side the can then pour over the top of fries evenly. Sprinkle Cheese on top. Bake for another 15 min … or until Cheese is completely melted.

Pesto with Baggette & Veggies

What you will need:
2 Packages of Cream Cheese
1 Container of Pesto (Costco has awesome pesto)
Parmesan Cheese
Baguette cut in slices
Fresh cut up Veggies of your choice…

Directions:
Cut Cream Cheese in half to make wider lay 4 slices on bottom of glass baking dish. Cover with Pesto. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes… Then Broil until edges are dark brown.
Let cool…. Serve as dip.

YUMMY Easy Corn Chowder

What you will need:
2 Cans Potato Soup
1 Can Clam Chowder
1 Can Whole Kennel Corn or I use my flash frozen coen (soooo good)
2 TB sp. Garlic Salt
Pepper to taste.....it really does need pepper

Serve with: Warm French bread
Honey & Butter

Directions: Put all ingredients in big Pot together… add milk until preferred consistency… salt and pepper to taste. Heat slowly as not to burn.

BEST EASIEST PUMPKIN COOKIES EVER!!!

Seriously ...this is ALL it takes.....and the kids can make them on their own.

Note : Duncan Hines Cake Mixes work better.

***************************************************************************

Ingredients:

2 Spice Cake Mixes

1 29 oz can Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix

1 small bag of semi-sweet Chocolate chips

MIX:

Cake Mixes and Pumpkin in large bowel.Once it is combined well stir in Choc Chips.Drop by spoonfulls onto greased cookie sheet....Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.....Seriously THAT easy and way ...WAY good..these save my rear end ALL of the time when I need to bring a quick treat ....or have guests.

*******************************************************************************

Also AWESOME to load up for food storage!