Bacon Covered Pancakes

Pancake Covered Bacon

I found this idea on Pinterest (chicagoist.com) and thought it would be a sure hit with my children. It was.

To make it a quick morning breakfast, I bought the pre-cooked bacon. Then I made a batter using 1/2 white flour mix and 1/2 whole grain mix. After warming up the bacon on the grill, I patted the oil off and poured the batter on top. Cook and flip like normally.





I had a few extra, so I popped them in a ziplock and will save them for another day :)
Love having ready to go food for those busy mornings. Not to mention, this is such an easy snack on the go if your in a hurry!

Non Traditional Homemade Chicken Soup

Non Traditional Homemade Chicken Soup

The day was looking like this:



And so I thought, "perfect day for some homemade chicken soup". I started making my stock with a whole roasted chicken covered in water. I added all the good stuff: onions, carrots, bay leafs, celery and asparagus ends. I let it simmer for a couple of hours.



The finished product was this beautiful, rich, flavorful stock.



To the stock, I added:
* 1 can of fire toasted tomatoes and juice
* 2 cups of chopped carrots
* 1 diced yellow pepper
* 2 cans of cannellini beans (I try to add beans anytime I can)
* 1 cup of whole wheat noodles
* A dash of worcestershire
* A spoonful of chicken base
* 1 tsp. of basil
* 1 tsp. of oregano
* 2 cups of shredded chicken
* Two big handfuls of spinach

Look how gorgeous!


Throw on a little parmesan on top and... voila! A delicious, healthy, filling way to enjoy a cold, snowy day.


Non Traditional Homemade Chicken Soup

Start with 8 - 10 cups of your favorite stock
Add:
* 1 can of fire toasted tomatoes and juice
* 2 cups of chopped carrots
* 1 diced yellow pepper
* 2 cans of cannellini beans (I try to add beans anytime I can)
* 1 cup of whole wheat noodles
* A dash of worcestershire
* A spoonful of chicken base
* 1 tsp. of basil
* 1 tsp. of oregano
* 2 cups of shredded chicken
* Two big handfuls of spinach

Cook until noodles are done and vegetables are tender. Enjoy!

Homemade Strawberry Sherbert

Homemade Strawberry Sherbert

When it came time for Big B's turn to choose a recipe to make for our Summer Cooking Day, he knew EXACTLY what he wanted to make. Homemade Strawberry Sherbert. He went online and researched a few recipes and came up with one to try. He found this recipe on Gettingwell.com. We had fun trying something new and the end result was delicious! I think he was pretty pleased.

Homemade Strawberry Sherbert

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup half and half

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Combine berries and sugar in a small bowl and let sit, stirring occasionally until the sugar has begun to dissolve. About 30 minutes. Transfer the berry mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, half-and-half, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Press the strawberry mixture through a fine sieve into the bowl. Stir mixtures together, cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Whisk the sherbert mixture and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Once frozen, dish up and enjoy a nice bowl of cold sherbert. Perfect for a summer day!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Today was our "cooking day" at home. It was fun to spend time together creating something delicious! Big "C" has been begging to make this recipe for a couple of weeks now and finally we made the time. Who knew summer could be so busy? This recipe is so simple and so fun. It is pretty much like a big lava cake where the bottom of it turns into chocolate pudding. YUM! This recipe was in my grandmother's collections and is definitely an oldy but goodie! Add some whipped cream or cream to this chocolately surprise and give it a whirl!

Mmmmm. See the pudding on the bottom?

Warm cake and pudding with cold whipped cream. Delicious!

Wha La!

(I know I SERIOUSLY need some new hot pads!)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Stir together in a bowl:

1 c. flour, 3/4 c. sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, 2 Tbsp. cocoa, 1/4 tsp. salt

Stir in:

1/2 c. milk, 2 Tbsp. melted shortening, 1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Topping:

1 c. brown sugar, 4 Tbsp. cocoa, 1 3/4 c HOT water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread batter in 9 inch square pan; sprinkle with mixture of brown sugar and cocoa. Pour hot water over entire batter. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Enjoy!

Hearty Summer Soup

Hearty Summer Soup

Just because it's summer doesn't mean you have to skip out on a yummy bowl of soup. Especially when it is packed with fresh vegetables. This soup is hearty, delicious and satisfying. AND, a great way to use up some of those garden veggies!

Hearty Summer Soup

2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 Russet potatoe, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped large
6 - 8 cups of Chicken Stock
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup mini farfalle or your favorite pasta
Kosher salt and pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and saute. Add chopped carrots, celery and potatoe. Add a large pinch of salt. Saute for 10 - 15 minutes to soften. Add minced garlic. Add zucchini and squash and saute for about 5 more minutes. Add another pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Once all the veggies are softened, add chicken stock to cover all of the vegetables by about a 1/2 an inch. Stir in diced tomatoes and pasta and cover with a lid until veggies cook through all the way and pasta is cooked.
Dish up and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley on top. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Scones... Thursday Cooking Day

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Scones...
Thursday Cooking Day!

Thursday's are our official cooking day for the summer. We had so much fun today spending time together in the kitchen. My little girl chose the recipe for today which came out of the "Pink Princess Cookbook" ... of course.
These scones were perfect for my little people to help make and they loved using different shaped cookie cutters. Plate these up with a big glass of milk, OR if you are in the mood, you could have a big hot cup of cocoa like my son did. It was just way to tempting for him. Luckily, we had a massive hail and rain storm right while we were enjoying our snack, so it seemed very appropriate. Try having a cooking day with your children... I promise it is time well spent!




Chocolate Chip Peppermint Scones


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add chocolate chips and toss to coat. Pour 1 cup whipping cream into mixture, stirring just until ingredients are moistened. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until soft dough forms (about 2 minutes). Pat dough out to about 1" thick. Cut into shapes.
Place scones 1 inch apart on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush each scone with the remaining 2 tbsp. whpping cream and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until very lightly browned. Serve warm and dusted with powdered sugar.

Yields 12 scones

Steamed Vegetable Medley

Steamed Vegetable Medley

When I was a young girl, my mom would make this with a variety of veggies. I loved it and still do! I needed a side dish for dinner and had several zucchini's that needed to be used, so I came up with my own combo. It was the perfect addition and was so good that it almost became the main dish!


Steamed Vegetable Medley

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 medium zucchini's, sliced
A large handful of Cherub tomatoes, whole
Mozzeralla Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.

Melt butter and oil in pan on medium heat. Add onion and saute until it starts to caramelize. Add zucchini and tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup water and put lid on to steam. After veggies are cooked, top with a handful of mozzerella cheese and replace lid. Turn heat off and let sit for a few minutes to let the cheese melt and get oooey gooey. Delicious!