Recipe Shoebox

Mandarin Orange Chicken (gluten and dairy free)

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:20:04 +0000

Hello, friends! It's been a while!

These days my kids are all grown up, and life looks a little different than it did when I first started this blog. Even so, I still find myself in the kitchen several nights a week, trying to get a delicious dinner on the table. And after all these years, this little corner of the internet is still the first place I go when I'm looking for a recipe I know my family loves.

Lately I've been collecting some newer favorites that deserve a permanent home here—not only so I can find them again, but so I can share them with you, too.

This Mandarin Orange Chicken is one of those recipes. My friend Jen made it for us years ago, and after one bite I knew it was a keeper. It's become a regular in our dinner rotation because it's simple, flavorful, and everyone loves it.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to adapt for food allergies. It's naturally dairy-free, and the only ingredient containing gluten is the soy sauce. Simply substitute gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos, and you'll never miss the gluten. You can also adjust the sugar to your family's taste—add the full amount for a sweeter sauce or reduce it if you prefer something a little less sweet.

I hope your family enjoys this one as much as ours does!

Click here for printable recipe.

Mandarin Orange Chicken
Makes 6 servings

The ingredients:

CHICKEN
1-1/4 lbs fresh boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

1 Tbs. paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

3 Tbs. neutral oil (I usually use avocado oil)

ORANGE SAUCE

1 lg. (29 oz) can mandarin orange juice (reserve fruit for later in the recipe)

1 clove garlic, minced

1cup beef broth

1/2 of a 12 ounce container frozen orange juice concentrate

2-3 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. soy sauce (NOTE: soy sauce contains gluten, so look for coconut aminos or a gluten free soy sauce if you are making this for someone avoiding gluten )

1 tsp. ginger
2 Tbs. sugar (optional)

ADD AT THE END

1 can coconut milk

reserved mandarin oranges
2 cups sliced almonds, sautéed in a little oil
3-4 cups hot cooked rice

GETTING STARTED: Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Start rice cooking.

CHICKEN DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl, toss fresh chopped chicken with oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Spread in a single layer onto a foil lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400-degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once in the middle.

SAUCE DIRECTIONS: While the chicken is cooking, saute the garlic with a little oil.

Then combine the juice drained from the can of mandarin oranges,

minced garlic, beef broth, and the orange juice concentrate in a large sauce pot.

Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and soy sauce or coconut aminos, then slowly whisk into the orange sauce. Add ginger and sugar (if desired) cook until thickened.

TO SERVE: Add the cooked chicken,

coconut milk,

and reserved mandarin oranges to the sauce.

Serve over rice and top with the sautéed almonds.

Roasted veggies is a perfect side with this!

Enjoy!

Panzanella Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 03:48:00 +0000

Is anyone else's garden bursting with goodness right now? Or at least maybe you're tempted by the cheaper prices on all the in-season produce at the grocery store. This recipe for panzanella salad was one I discovered a few years ago to use up some tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden and it's one I've been tweaking ever since then. This year I think I finally got it just the way we like it and I'm excited to share it with you now. Never heard of panzanella salad? It's an Italian salad that combines stale or toasted bread with fresh veggies. My family is obsessed!

Just a note: If you don't think you'll be eating all the salad at once, then combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the bread. Add bread to individual servings as needed. That way the bread won't get soggy.

Click here for printable recipe.

THE INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil
16 ounces (or so) french bread (or gluten free bread), cut into 1-inch cubes

1-1/2 - 2-lbs. fresh tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 large cucumber, coarsely chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian seasoning mix, prepared as directed (1/4 cup apple cider vinegar + 3 Tbs. water + 1/2 cup olive oil + 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper)

THE DIRECTIONS:

Cube the bread into 1-inch pieces. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to large frying pan over medium-high heat and toast the bread cubes, stirring frequently until golden brown and toasty. Set aside until just before serving.

Chop veggies into 1-inch dices. Combine into large bowl.

Prepare Good Seasons dressing mix as directed on package, plus add additional salt and pepper. (1/4 cup apple cider vinegar + 3 Tbs. water + 1/2 cup olive oil + 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper). Set dressing aside until just before serving.

Shortly before serving, add the toasted bread cubes, parmesan cheese, basil, and dressing.

Stir together until well-combined.

Serve immediately.

If you don't think you'll be eating all of the salad at once, I recommend mixing everything together EXCEPT the bread cubes, then add the bread to individual servings. The toasted bread will get soggy quickly otherwise.

Enjoy!

New Favorite Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:44:00 +0000

New Favorite Recipes We've Discovered:

I may not have found much time to post new recipes here on the blog recently, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking and trying new recipes. I took exactly one picture, so this isn't as visual as usual, but I don't want to lose track of these, so you here you go! Here are a few new favorites we've discovered recently...check back and I'll update it with new links as we try them:

LUNCH/DINNER:

Best Broccoli Cheese Soup: WE loved this healthier version of broccoli cheese soup!
https://www.averiecooks.com/best-broccoli-cheese-soup-better-panera-copycat/

Buddha Bowls (We loved this for dinner, but loved it even more as leftovers the next day for lunch. I want to make a double batch of it at the beginning of the week and use it for healthy, easy to grab lunches later. We used a mix of roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes for the veggies, and used cauliflower rice instead of rice. And I doubled the sauce, because I knew my family would eat more veggies if there was more sauce. haha, my kids may be teens now, but I still use some of the same tricks to get them to eat their veggies ! )
https://www.delish.com/cooking/menus/recipes/a50768/buddha-bowls-recipe/

Cashew Chicken : we loved this easy one to make!
https://www.averiecooks.com/better-than-takeout-cashew-chicken/

Chicken Curry in a Hurry served over cauliflower rice (next time I'll make 1-1/2 batch)
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/chicken-curry-in-a-hurry/

Chili Lime Instapot Chicken--good basic overall mexican chicken recipe--love that it comes out perfectly in the Instapot!
https://ourbestbites.com/pressure-cooker-chili-lime-chicken/

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Pesto--served over cauliflower rice, cooked the chicken on cookie sheet at 400-degrees for 20 minutes, very low carb and very delicious!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/grilled-chicken-with-avocado-pesto-3796532

Korean Steak Bowls: We went through a phase of eating this once week or so and like it with chicken even better than steak.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/korean-steak-bowls-with-sesame-cucumber-slaw/

Sesame Chicken Salad--Great flavors in a delicious healthy dinner.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/sesame-chicken-salad/

Skillet Lasagna (used GF penne pasta)--SO good and so easy!
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/skillet-summer-vegetable-lasagna/

Thai Crunch Salad-- used shredded cabbage instead of salad kit and added sweet potatoes, comes together quickly and oh so yummy!
https://www.kelseynixon.com/thai-crunch-salad/

Thai Mango Chicken: The leftovers are even better!
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/thai-mango-chicken-red-curry/

BREAKFASTS/DESSERTS/SIDES

Baked Oatmeal: a hearty and healthy way to start the day
https://joyfoodsunshine.com/peanut-butter-banana-baked-oatmeal/

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes--super easy and super good:
https://www.laurafuentes.com/banana-oatmeal-pancakes/

Favorite Chia Seed Pudding: hearty and chocolatey, great with fresh fruit and a drizzle of nut butter over the top
https://minimalistbaker.com/overnight-chocolate-chia-seed-pudding/

Gluten Free / Low Carb Pancakes
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-almond-flour-pancakes/

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: Just make sure you use GF oats, but this is a good solid GF cookie recipe that's saved me many times! I like to omit the flax, add a real egg, and increase the oat flour just a bit. Perhaps one of these times, I'll write down what I do and add it here to the blog.
https://mcarthurfamilyfavorites.blogspot.com/2018/01/gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls:We tried a bunch of recipes before landing on this one from Detoxinista. It's as close as I've ever found to gluten-filled recipe! https://detoxinista.com/gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/

The BEST GF Lemon Bars: Nice and zesty--the way lemon bars should be!
https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/gluten-free-lemon-bars/

Gluten Free Rolls--calls for some weird/expensive ingredients, but are the BEST gluten free rolls I've ever had
https://gfjules.com/recipes/gluten-free-pull-apart-dinner-rolls/

Keto Tortillas: easy and good GF tortillas (we made them a little thicker to be more like naan bread)
https://elavegan.com/keto-almond-flour-tortillas/

Mashed Cauliflower--good basic recipe. Added extra cream cheese and extra garlic.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230816/garlic-mashed-cauliflower/

No Sugar Cranberry Sauce--Just the right amount of tartness. Also excellent added to whipped cream cheese or served over goat cheese.
https://cookieandkate.com/naturally-sweetened-cranberry-sauce-recipe/

Overnight Oats--We may be a little late to the game, but we have just discovered the joy of overnight oats for crazy mornings. We usually use some PB powder in place of actual PB and love to change up the toppings with different fruits and nuts.
https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/

Zucchini Fritters--https://thepaleodiet.com/recipe/crispy-paleo-zucchini-fritters/

Strawberry Salsa--https://thepaleodiet.com/recipe/strawberry-salsa/

So what should I try next? Feel free to spam me with all your best links.

Mediterranean Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:35:00 +0000

This recipe, from my friend Heather, is one I've been enjoying and making for many years and I decided it was time for me to officially share it here on the blog! Heather is a talented cook and I always looked forward to her signing up to bring the treats for book group. She makes the most amazing baked goods ever, but this savory dip is what I'd get really excited about. It's a lot of chopping, but otherwise super easy to throw together and it tastes absolutely amazing. It's meant to be an appetizer served with pita chips or fresh veggies, but we will serve it with some grilled chicken and fresh fruit or some lentil soup and a Greek salad and make it a big part of a delicious Mediterranean dinner!

Click here for printable recipe.

Yield: (1) 12-14 inch round plate of dip

FOR THE CILANTRO PESTO:
Don't love cilantro? Make it with basil instead. 😋

1½ cups fresh cilantro (it was about 2 bunches)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup pine nuts (or whatever nuts you happen to have)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

FOR THE DIP:

2 containers (10-ounces each) hummus
1 batch cilantro pesto (see above)
1/2 English cucumber, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup banana peppers, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black or kalamata olives (I prefer black)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

12-14 - inch round platter or small cookie sheet

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CILANTRO PESTO: In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, about half of the olive oil, and nuts.

Oops...I accidentally added the Parmesan cheese too, then tried to scoop it out.

Pulse repeatedly until a coarse paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. With the blender/processor running, add the remaining olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth.

Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.

(If storing for later use, drizzle with a thin film of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto, and store in an airtight container.)

TO ASSEMBLE THE DIP:

Spread a layer of hummus on a serving platter.

Spread the cilantro pesto over the top of the hummus.

Layer evenly with cucumber, red onion, banana peppers, olives, feta, and oven-dried tomatoes as desired.

Garnish with an additional few tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro. Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies (we like cucumber slices and carrot sticks).

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Rocky Road Fudge

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 22:21:00 +0000

Hello, friends! Long time, no see. I interrupt this long hiatus to let you know that I'm still here and still cooking away, though with far fewer kids at home, a lot more gray hairs, and three houses removed from the DC area, where 99% of these recipes were posted from. I don't eat sweets super often anymore, but here is a recipe I've been tweaking one batch at a time every Christmas over the last several years. I think I *finally* got it perfect this year and I'm excited to share it with you all. Who knows maybe I'll post again in another few years?! Merry Christmas!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

2 cups sugar
10 oz. evaporated milk

1/2 cup butter

13-14 -ounces marshmallow fluff or creme

1 tsp. salt

2- tsp. vanilla

4 cups (2-10-oz packages) semi sweet chocolate chips (I like the Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips)

4-oz unsweetened baking chocolate

ROCKY ROAD

add 1 cup chopped walnuts and 2 cups mini marshmallows

Directions: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan.

Stir over medium heat until well blended. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, but watching closely. Once fully boiling, turn the heat down to low, set the timer for 2-½ minutes, and stir constantly.

After 2-½ minutes, remove from heat, stir in chocolates and vanilla until chocolate is smooth and melted.

After the chocolate is smooth and well incorporated, stir in walnuts and marshmallows until just combined.

Pour into a parchment paper lined 9x13-inch pan and allow to cool. Store covered. Enjoy!

Sheet Pan Fajitas

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 00:11:00 +0000

Here is a recipe we've found over the last few years that's become a family favorite. We did keto for about 6 months to see if it would help with my daughter's seizure control. It did, but ultimately she decided that it was too hard for her to stick to and we are back to just eating lowish carb, but nowhere near as strict as true keto. This is one of those recipes we discovered during that time that we will keep on the menu no matter how many carbs we are eating. It's easy and delicious! I love how perfectly the chicken turns out every time...no fuss, no muss! I make them as a fajita bowl over a cauliflower rice/cabbage mixture, but the rest of my family generally eats them in low-carb tortillas. Of course, you can serve them in whatever you want and they'll still be delicious!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

3 bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup oil
1-1/2 - 2 -lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
3 Tbs. taco seasoning (This homemade version makes the perfect amount)

Desired toppings: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole
Cauliflower rice* or low-carb tortillas
( *I cooked some shredded red cabbage with my cauliflower rice. I like the extra color and jolt of nutrition.)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400º. Toss together chopped peppers, onions, chicken thighs in a bowl. Add oil and taco seasoning.

Toss together and mix well.

Spread into a single layer on a large cookie sheet.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. While chicken/veggies are cooking, prepare the cauliflower rice.

Serve hot over cauliflower rice or in a low carb tortilla with desired toppings.

Enjoy!

The Best Homemade Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 15:22:00 +0000

My daughter recently discovered the best homemade salsa recipe and we're so hooked on it, that I decided to break my 5 year silence here on the blog and put this recipe in a safe place where the recipe won't get lost! One jalapeno gives it just the spiciness level we like, but you may want to add more if you like the heat. I know the celery seems weird, but I think it's what helps give it the perfect texture. Who knows? Perhaps this recipe will help kick off me starting to post some of the other new family favorites we've discovered over the last few years.

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

2 cans diced tomatoes
4-5 stalks chopped celery
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, deseeded (start with one and add more to taste)
4 cloves garlic
juice of one lemon and/or lime
1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional)
1-1/2 tsp. salt (you may need to adjust this a little depending on how salty your tomatoes are)
1/2 tsp. pepper

Add all ingredients to blender.

Press "PULSE" a few times, until the mixture is even and coarsely chopped. Makes about 4 cups. For best flavor, allow the flavors blend for several hours or overnight. Keeps in the fridge for about a week. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Nativity

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 16:15:00 +0000

Day 6 of the Holiday Baking series at Recipe Shoebox brings us this awesomely awesome gingerbread nativity (totally edible). Make sure to come back every day in December for lots more goodie recipes!

Given the facts that I love sweets, I love getting my kids into the kitchen, and I love figuring out ways to help the kids remember the real reason for the Christmas season...this project was a no-brainer for me. I knew that I would make it, the second I laid eyes on it in Pinterest. If only I could have remembered that the grocery store is a lame place to buy candy. After two stops and still no large gumdrops, mini candy canes, or black licorice I was getting a little nervous. Then I went to Walgreens. They had all the candy I needed, at better prices, and in more reasonable sizes than the grocery store. Then we had so much fun making them ( four of them altogether), that I didn't even mind too much that the entire dining room table and much of the floor was coated with a sugary residue afterward. Enjoy!

Man, I just can't help but smile every time I walk by these on the shelf!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:
(NOTE: I recommend going to a drug store {like Walgreens} for the candy items, since the drugstore offered smaller size packages than the grocery store, plus the grocery store didn't carry a couple of the items.)

(ANOTHER NOTE: We didn't actually end up using the lifesaver mints and the Snickers did NOT end up working for us, so I recommend Milky Ways instead. Also the picture shows a box of flat toothpicks, but I highly recommend the round toothpicks instead.)

1 pkg. graham crackers or gingerbread (5 whole graham crackers for the stable, another 1 for the manger)
Royal icing or store bought cookie frosting in a tube (one tube was plenty for the four nativities we made)
1 cup shredded coconut
yellow food coloring
2 large marshmallows
Black licorice
6 mini tootsie rolls
1 snack-size soft chocolate candy bar (Milky Ways worked the best for us)
Chocolate frosting (or black gel) (optional)
1 pkg. large gumdrops
1 pkg. small gumdrops
2 fruit roll-ups (ideally in different colors)
Mini candy cane

TOOLS:
1 pkg. round toothpicks (the flat toothpicks did not work well in this project)
Knife or scissors with sharp point
Flat surface for mounting the Nativity (we used cut pieces of cardboard)

Directions:

TO MAKE THE STABLE:
You will need 5 whole graham crackers (or gingerbread sheets), a flat surface (cardboard or platter), and the Royal icing (or store-bought cookie frosting in a tube). Place stripes of the frosting on the narrow edges of 2 graham crackers and set onto your flat surface so they are standing upright. (If you mess up and place it in the wrong place first, you may need to add more frosting before proceeding). Quickly place another graham cracker over the top of the 2 standing graham crackers, having the standing graham crackers tilting inwards slightly. Hold in place for 5-10 minutes, or until structure is stable enough to stay together. Trim the edges off of the remaining 2 graham crackers, so they will fit behind the stable without much overhang (this is not an exact science). Place generous stripes of frosting along the flat, narrow edges of these 2 graham crackers and carefully set behind the stable. We found the addition of these graham crackers along the back provided an extra element of stability to the structure. Set stable aside where it will not get jostled.

TO MAKE THE MANGER:
You will need 3/4 of a whole graham cracker, some royal icing (or the store bought cookie icing), and a sprinkling of the coconut hay. Using the lines on the graham cracker, carefully break it into fourths. You will need smooth edges on at least two of the fourths. Place a generous stripe of royal icing down the center of one of the fourths. Place the other two fourths in a v-shape onto the stripe, adding additional icing along the seam for stability. Hold in place until the icing has set and the manger is somewhat sturdy (about 5 minutes). Place a little sprinkle of hay into it and set aside for the baby Jesus.

TO MAKE THE HAY:
Place the coconut in a bowl, add 5-6 drops of yellow food coloring and stir until coloring is evenly mixed. Add more drops until the coconut takes on a nice hay-like appearance. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE SHEEP (make two):
You will need 1 large marshmallow and 1 piece of black licorice per sheep. Using the point of a sharp knife or scissors, place 4 small slits in the bottom of each marshmallow where the licorice legs will be inserted. Make one more slit, in the middle of the front where the head will be. Using the sharp knife or scissors, cut the licorice into about 1-inch long pieces. (You may want to keep a wet wipe nearby to wipe off the knife/scissors as they get sticky. ) Place the cut licorice pieces into the slits you have made. This will take some force to get them into the squishy surface of the marshmallow. Wiggle and jostle the licorice until they are in the marshmallow somewhat well. Trim the licorice if necessary to make all of the legs evenly sized. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE DONKEY:
You will need 5 mini tootsie rolls, 1 snack size soft candy bar (Milky Ways worked great, Snickers were too hard), 6 round toothpicks, and chocolate frosting (optional). With the scissors or knife, cut two of the tootsie rolls in half lengthwise. Push toothpicks about 3/4 of the way down into each of those halved tootsie rolls. The tootsie rolls are pliable so they may get a little squished as you spear them with toothpicks. Reshape the candy as necessary to maintain an elongated donkey leg appearance. Poke the toothpicks on the legs into the bottom side of the snack size Milky way candy bar, one in each corner. For the neck, get another whole tootsie roll and spear it completely through lengthwise with a toothpick (you'll want both ends to have toothpick sticking out). To add the head, get another whole tootsie roll and place it perpendicularly through the top of the neck toothpick. Adjust the angle (and shape, if necessary) so it looks like a donkey head. Now, take the head and neck piece and place the bottom part of the toothpick into the body of the donkey (the top, middle edge of the candy bar with legs). For the tail, take another tootsie roll and shape it into the lovely shape of a donkey tail. Place a toothpick into the top of it (you may need to trim the toothpick slightly) and place it into the backside of the donkey. At this point, you may need to do a little adjusting the legs/neck/head/tail, to improve the donkey-ness of its appearance and so that it will stand independently. For a finishing touch you can add a little mane if you wish, using a little chocolate frosting.

TO MAKE THE ANGEL:
You will need 2 large white gumdrops (for the body), 1 small white gumdrop (for the head), 1 large yellow or white gumdrop (for the wings), and 3-5 round toothpicks. To make the body, place the toothpick through the center (top to bottom) of a large white gumdrop. Add the other large white gumdrop on top of that one. Next, add the head by placing the small white gumdrop on the top of the large gumdrops. Check to make sure that the toothpick is not poking through the bottom. Now onto the wings. We were out of yellow and white large gumdrops, so I used a white gummy jelly wreath (similar to gumdrops). If using a large gumdrop, cut it in half top to bottom. Place 1-2 toothpicks all the way through (trimming it if necessary) and place it into the side of angel in appropriate wing placement location. If using a white jelly wreath as I did, simply cut it in half and attach as above. My jelly wreath wings needed the extra stability, so I had to use two toothpicks for this. Make sure that the angel can stand and adjust the toothpick placement as necessary to center it better.

(Just a quick note about the pictures below: I did not end up using the lifesaver mint. I had thought of using one as a halo, but it did not look right. Additionally, the only reason why I used a white jelly wreath instead of another large gumdrop for the bottom, is that our package of gumdrops was short on white ones.)

TO MAKE THE BABY JESUS:
You will need 3 small white gumdrops (if you're running low on white gumdrops, it's only important that the one of them be white), a round toothpick, and 2x4-inch wide strip of fruit roll up. Place the three gumdrops top to bottom onto the toothpick. Leave the top and bottom gumdrops rounded side out. Trim the toothpick. Wrap the gumdrops in the fruit roll-up strip, to resemble swaddling clothes. Set aside taking care not to let it get into the coconut yet, or it will get all speckled.

TO MAKE MARY, JOSEPH, AND THE SHEPHERD (make each a different color):
For each person you will need 2 large gumdrops of the same color, 1 small gumdrop in the same color as large, a round toothpick, a narrow strip of fruit roll-up (cut with tapered ends), a mini candy cane (only for the shepherd), and a very small amount of royal icing/cookie frosting. For the body, spear the two large gumdrops top to bottom with the toothpick. Add the head, by placing the small gumdrop in the same color on top of the two large gumdrops. Take care that the toothpick is not poking out the bottom and trim it if necessary. Make sure that your person can stand independently Cut a narrow strip of a fruit roll-up to resemble a simple headdress. To add the headdress, place a very small amount of icing along the top of the head and put the fruit roll-up strip along the head (trimming it if necessary). Make adjustments as necessary to improve the person-like appearances of these. Repeat with each of the other people, using a different color of gumdrops for each. The mini candy cane will go along side of the shepherd as its crook.

TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
Get your stable, which should be nice and sturdy now if you made it first. Squeeze a little frosting over the roof of the stable and sprinkle some coconut hay. On the front corner of the roof, put a bigger dab of frosting and put the angel into place. Now it's up to you. Play around with each of the pieces until you find a lay-out that you like. When you've decided where everything will go, put a little dab of the icing on the bottom of each figure and put it into the place. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes.Place a sprinkling of the coconut hay around the "ground" and a little in the manger. Now find somewhere to show off your beautiful and edible creation!

hee hee! I just couldn't help but laugh when I saw my little nephew's hand in the picture above with my daughter and her nativity. :)

Enjoy!

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The Benefit of Letting Your Kids into the Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 18:21:00 +0000

Dinner prep around our house has always been a family affair. From the time the children were pretty small (4 or 5-years-old) I've consistently given them age appropriate jobs in the kitchen to help get dinner on the table. See below for some job ideas. Now that my kids are older (the ones at home are 9, 12, 14, and 17), I have a house full of competent cooks who are happy to help in the kitchen.

Of course, not every child helps with every meal, but on any given night if you peeked into our kitchen you'd see a collaborative effort of me and children willingly doing their part to help prepare for dinner (cleaning up, on the other hand, is worthy of a whole different blogpost). You might see one child standing at the garbage peeling vegetables, another whipping together the ingredients for a sauce, and one of the older kids standing at the cutting board chopping ingredients. They don't often stay in the kitchen the whole time dinner is being prepared, but even if all they have time for is a few minutes of helping, my workload is still reduced and they take pride in the fact that they've done their part and contributed in some way to the meal. It's honestly often one of my favorite times of the day.

Lately, though, I've realized that a lot of people are intimidated by sharing the kitchen with their children. Even my 17-year-old daughter's friends, whose moms are excellent cooks, have very limited experience in the kitchen. When talking to my friends as to why this is, I hear a variety of excuses about how their kitchen isn't big enough, or that their kids liked to help when they were small, but not anymore, or just that they just don't like the mess the kids make.

I'm here to say that it's worth the mess and worth the crowdedness, to let them in. The benefits of not just tolerating their presence, but welcoming them in and utilizing their help to help create family meals, is incalculably beneficial to you and to your children.

But it takes effort.

There will be messes. There will frustrating moments when they make a preventable error. There will be times when you bump into each other.

But that's how children learn and the benefits of having them there go far beyond just helping them to become better cooks. It's bonding time with mom (or dad) and time when they learn how to positively contribute to the dynamics of the family.

Benefits
Confidence--Kids are bombarded on so many sides with things that they can't do and often shoved into a corner with an electronic device when their presence is inconvenient; so I say welcome them in instead. Let them help you! Make them your partners and give them opportunities to legitimately help getting a meal ready. Over time as their skills and contributions increase, their confidence will grow as well.

Skills for the future--boys and girls stand a lot to gain from knowing their way around the kitchen. If they are taught well when they are young, they will have a better foundation on which to develop healthy habits and gain the ability to cook for themselves and their future families when they leave home.

Health--when they have practice and familiarity with making food from scratch, they are less likely to turn to processed foods when given the choice. They recognize the superior taste and nutrition of homemade meals, and you can also use the time in the kitchen together to talk with them about the cost benefits as well.

Helping you--When you give them jobs that actually contribute to the preparation of the meal, you will lessen your own workload. Young children require a lot of supervision, but if they learn those skills at your side when they're young, they can lend a much larger, more independent role when they're older.

Cooperation--what better way to learn how to work with others than under the direct supervision of a parent doing something that has to be done anyway?

Hints
Start small, no matter their age. Just ask them to do one thing that will legitimately make your life a little easier (even if it's just opening a couple of cans or stirring the pot for 5 minutes), and thank them profusely for their help.

Make sure they are well-instructed and supervised, not only for safety reasons, but to build a cooperative spirit and to help reduce their frustration level if something goes wrong. This is not time for you watch tv or jump in the shower, but a time to work side-by-side with them.

Make their jobs real, actual jobs that benefit you and legitimately help in the meal prep. The kids will know that if they are not actually contributing to the meal and it will negate the benefits to you and to them if you are just making up easy jobs for them to keep them out of your hair.

Be consistent. If you only ask them to help when you're making a specific dish or when they're not busy, they won't get in the habit of helping. Even on a crazy night when kids have lots of homework, they can chip in for a few minutes. A little brain break never hurt anyone, and besides, the faster dinner gets on the table the happier everyone is!

Express gratitude to ALL those that help---At the dinner table make sure you thank each person individually for the part they played in preparing that meal. My kids eat this gratitude up and love to tell daddy (or guests) the part they played in making the meal. Never criticize a child who didn't help, but make sure that even a person who just opened a can gets thanked.

Don't make a big deal about or get angry if they burn something, or add an incorrect ingredient, or in some way make a preventable error. Simply explain how it could be prevented in the future and go with it. You might have to start something over, or put up with an overcooked portion of the meal, but if you get negative with them you will make them more hesitant to help in the future. Compliment what they did right and move past it!

Allow their contributions to grow in importance as they grow older and gain skills. If you still have your 10-year-old stirring pots (and baking the occasional batch of cookies) for you, then you are not utilizing their potential. Give them bigger jobs. Show them the recipe and let them take ownership of part of the meal. See below for more specific ideas, but a 10-year-old is definitely old enough to measure and add spices, make sauces and marinades, peel vegetables, etc. If properly trained, teens can be entirely in charge of side dishes or even make entire meals themselves.

Related to the one above, don't overwhelm them either. If you haven't been having them help all along, don't expect them to jump in and be able to do things without any experience. Additionally, if they're having an off day or feeling overwhelmed already, don't force them. This should be a joyful experience and not one where mom is yelling at the kids every day to get them to help. That's why I highly encourage having them start with small, but helpful tasks on a very consistent basis (at least a few times per week), then build from there.

In addition to having them help with dinner, give them opportunities to be independent in the kitchen. Let them whip up a batch of cookies by themselves (tweaking the recipe if they want). Let them make pancakes, or fry themselves an egg. Don't stand over their shoulder, but let them experiment (even if it means making something that turns out gross)! These kinds of experiences will boost their confidence, help them gain culinary creativity, and help hone their skills for helping with bigger kitchen jobs eventually.

Use the summertime when your schedule is less structured to give them more responsibility in the kitchen. This is a great time to let them plan menus, take over entire meals (with you as the assistant instead of the head chef), and in general really amp up their skills.

Hurdles/Excuses to overcome

My kids aren't interested in helping.  If you give them a series of small jobs on a consistent basis and let them know how much you appreciate their help, even the most reluctant helper will start to realize that they're not just performing some empty thankless task, but that they are actually contributing in a visible way to help get a meal on the table. This will not come overnight. It may take years, but if you continue having them help, in even small ways that are more palatable to them, it will make a difference.

I don't have time to deal with their messes/errors. I promise that putting up with their messes now will pay for itself over and over again as they get older. Let them make the mess. Let them experiment and make errors. That's what it takes to learn and someday when they're 14 and you're not feeling well and they go and prepare an entire meal from scratch, because they feel confident in the kitchen, you will be glad for those messes they made when they were 8.

My kitchen is too small.   We've recently redone our kitchen, so it's not tight anymore, but up until a year-and-a-half ago our kitchen was very small too. Think outside the box. Prep work can be done at the kitchen table, the garbage can can be moved, kids can help in shifts. If you wait until your kitchen is "big enough", if you're like me, you could be waiting an awful long time and miss years' worth of opportunities to allow your children to learn and to gain confidence in the kitchen.

Cookbooks for Kids:
My kids usually just make our normal family recipes, but for someone who's looking to be a bit more independent, a cookbook for kids can be fun. We have this one ,  this one , and this one that my kids have enjoyed.

Kitchen jobs for kids: (with proper instruction and supervision)

ages 4-6
stirring
measuring and adding ingredients (teach them how to do it properly first and stay near them)
getting spices and other ingredients out of the cupboard and fridge (good reading practice)
setting the table
spooning batter (or sour cream or salsa or whatever) into a pan or bowl
rolling cookie balls
spreading frosting, butter, or jam over cakes, toast, etc.
making their own sandwiches (put out pre-cut ingredients and let them put it together themselves)
opening boxes

ages 6-9 (all of the above, plus the following)
opening cans
draining and rinsing canned goods
independently making sauces, marinades, and dressings
grating cheese
cracking eggs
whisking
*peeling vegetables
*slicing (avocados and bananas are good things to practice on, since they can use a butter knife)
*heating things on a griddle--tortillas, pancakes, etc
*frying eggs
reading the recipe (for someone who is standing at the stove and can't get to the recipe)

ages 10-11 (all of the above and the following)
*coarse chopping
*sautéing
*cooking noodles, rice, etc.
pressing garlic
independent baking (cookies, cakes, pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, etc)
tweaking recipes to make them their own
making entire meals once a month or so
menu planning

ages 12-up (all of the above and the following)
cooking meals independently (I have them take charge of a meal weekly in the summertime)
dicing onions and other vegetables that need to be chopped finely
baking bread
basically anything an adult can do

*close adult supervision is highly encouraged during any activity which requires the use of heat or sharp utensils.

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

What about you? How involved are your kids in the kitchen? Do you have any other great ideas?

Rainy Day Peanut Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 19:44:00 +0000

Posted by Cami.

Call these cookies what you may.

"Gluten Free."

"Minimalist."

"Pure Genius."

"Easy as pie." (But in all reality much, much easier than pie)

I'm gonna stick with "the best peanut butter cookies in existence."

The first time I sank my teeth into one of these beauties my friend had made me cookies and I was judging them entirely unaware of what was in them. (Boy that sounds a little sketchy now that I say it out loud). Anyway, the moment I took a bite I simultaneously came to the conclusion that it was the best peanut butter cookie I'd ever eaten. And I have eaten A LOT of peanut butter cookies in my 16 years. Being my mother's daughter, I had to ask for the recipe. To my surprise the ingredients were only three: peanut butter, egg, and sugar! We have a base (peanut butter), a sweetener (sugar), and a glue (egg). One-two-three that's enough for me! No extras, no bells or whistles, no distractions, just three simple ingredients to get the job done.

And boy do they get the job done right.

You're probably skeptical. I would be too. But just trust the simple things and give these cookies a shot.

Click here for printable recipe.

The Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter (you can also use sunflower butter if you'd like to make them nut free)
1egg

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350.

Scoop the Peanut Butter.

Dump the sugar. Crack the egg.

Mix it all together.

Keep going...

...and Done!

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Don't forget to lick your fingers.***

Press dough balls down with a fork.

Put them in the oven for 7-8 minutes.

Enjoy the best and easiest cookies you'll ever make!

***Cookie dough does contain raw eggs. In our household we may or may not blatantly disregard the fact that the consumption of raw eggs can cause salmonella. Eat at your own risk.***

Variations:

These cookies are very accommodating. If you (like my mom) think chocolate can solve the worlds problems just grab your favorite chocolate chips and toss few handfuls (or cups) into the batter before baking.

Cheesy Tomato and Sausage Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 02:49:00 +0000

We woke up to a foot of snow on the ground this morning. That kind of snow only comes around once every 5 years or so in the DC area, so it's brought the whole city to a standstill! School is cancelled, my husband couldn't get to work, and it took us 3+ hours to shovel out today. In short, since we couldn't go anywhere, it was a perfect day for finally typing up a new recipe that we've grown to love around here. This pasta was easy to make and full of delicious flavor. We didn't have much left over, but what there was made for a tasty lunch the next day too!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage (I like spicy chicken sausage)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can (28-oz.) crushed tomatoes

2 tomatoes, diced

1 Tbs. dried basil

3/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 lb. fontina cheese, grated

1 lb. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions ( I used rigatoni noodles)

salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese (for garnishment)

Directions:

Cut sausage into coins and brown in a large frying pan on medium-high heat, about 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic, onion, tomatoes, and dried basil.

Simmer about 5 minutes over medium medium heat to combine flavors.

Add half-and-half. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add fontina cheese and stir until melted.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over hot noodles. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

Recipe Adapted from: The Romney Family Table: Sharing Home-Cooked Recipes & Favorite Traditions

Broccoli-Pomegranate Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 12:48:00 +0000

This was one of those recipes that is brought to you today by serendipity. I was signed up to bring a salad to a party at Christmas time and decided on broccoli salad. I had combined a couple of standard broccoli salad recipes I found online and right when I was about to throw in the Craisins, I caught sight of the pomegranate sitting on my counter and thought, "Why not try those instead?" It turned out to be a delicious substitution! The pomegranate seeds gave the salad a jolt of sweet juiciness that made the whole thing more festive and more memorable. I got compliments on it all night long and had the huge double batch I brought gobbled up before the night was even half over-- even the kids were fans!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara

The ingredients:

SALAD

5 cups fresh broccoli, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
the seeds of 1/2 pomegranate
3/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

DRESSING

1 cup real mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs. vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Combine broccoli, onion, pomegranate seeds, and dressing.

Just before serving, stir in sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese, and bacon.

Enjoy!

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 18:32:00 +0000

I haven't done much recipe posting lately, but I still had fun checking out what the top 10 viewed recipes of 2013 were. Hope you have a happy new year! Happy cooking!

#10

French Peasant Bread

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Frog Eye Salad

Mango-Lime Cheesecake

Meatball Stroganoff in a Crockpot

Cheese Fondue

5 Things to do with Chicken Nuggets

Bratwurst in a slow cooker

#1 viewed recipe of 2013

Popover Upside Down Pizza

Turkey Wild Rice Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 04:43:00 +0000

Contrary to popular belief, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. It's just that in addition to the normal busyness of life with five kids, my kitchen has been in the process of getting remodeled over the last few months and cooking anything, let alone recipe trying has gone totally down the tubes. I still don't have a fully functioning kitchen, but at least I've got the basics now (countertops, sink, and stove), so we can stop eating frozen meals--YAY! Now I'm just hoping that I'll be back up to full speed in the kitchen by Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for before/after pictures and more yumminess to come!

This recipe is one that I discovered several months ago and it has quickly become a family favorite....just as much for its quick and easy preparation as for how much the whole family loves it. As a side bonus, it also makes for great leftovers the next day. Serve with whole grain rolls and a smoothie and you've got a wonderfully tasty, filling, and healthy meal!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

2 cups cooked, cubed turkey (I used nitrate/nitrite free Kirkland turkey lunchmeat from Costco)

2 cups cooked wild rice, cooked as directed on package (I used a wild rice/brown rice blend)

1-1/2 cups red grapes, halved

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped pecans

4 green onions, sliced

1 cup cubed Swiss cheese (optional)

1/3 cup raspberry vinaigrette, plus more to taste

Directions:

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. Makes 4-5 servings.

If making several hours in advance of eating, stir together everything but the pecans and add those right before serving.

Enjoy!

Lemon Herbed Chicken and Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

This is a meal that my 12-year-old daughter made for me on Mother's Day. She had attended a demonstration with other youth from church on how to make it and afterward she handed me a grocery list and did the rest herself. I found it so sweet to see how excited she was about it and was delighted when it turned out legitimately very tasty. We've since made it another four or five times and this recipe ended up being the catalyst for me to get out of my blogging rut and start posting again, because I was worried about losing the recipe that was typed up on a loose sheet of paper. The chicken needs to marinate for a few hours, but other than that the whole thing comes together very quickly. In fact, the rice will probably take longer to cook than the chopping and cooking of the chicken and the veggies. I envision this recipe being a regular part of our meal rotation for a long time to come!

I made a 1-1/2 batch for my family of 7.

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

MARINADE
1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. dried parsley

2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 pkg (8-oz.) mushrooms (white or cremini), quartered

1 bell pepper (any color), chopped into large pieces

1 red onion, chopped into large pieces

Directions:

In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Add cubed chicken and marinate for 3 hours or longer.

Spread meat and veggies in a single layer on a large cookie sheet with sides. Pour marinade over the top. Broil for 15 minutes. Or you can skewer them and grill them outdoors.

Serve over warm rice.

Serves 4. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: from my friend Julianne

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Sausage

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:45:00 +0000

With the increased pace of life now that my kids are getting older, I'm finding that more and more my recipe blogging has slipped to the back burner. I was wondering if I'd ever regain my motivation to do it again, until one day I was making a recipe for the fourth or fifth time and I couldn't find the slip of paper that it was written down on. That's when it struck me, I need to keep blogging if for nothing else to keep track of my favorite recipes. I may not blog as often or with as many pictures as I usually do, but I am pleased to say that I will still at least occasionally share some of my favorite new discoveries along the way!

This dish was a HUGE hit at our house and there was no way I was going to lose this recipe. It was a tad time consuming to put together (about 1 hour for the prep and the baking) for a weekday night, but it was worth every bit of the effort. Last time I made it, I made a double batch so I could freeze one for another night. This dish is as good as the sausage you choose, so I recommend choosing a good quality Italian sausage (I used the sliceable kind [Niman Ranch spicy Italian chicken sausage is my favorite brand], but you could also use a good ground sausage if you preferred. Just don't buy the cheap stuff in a tube.)

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

3 cups uncooked ziti or penne pasta (about 10-oz)

2 Tbs. olive oil

3/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (14.5-oz each) diced tomatos

1/4 cup pesto

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 cups fresh spinach, chopped (about 8-oz)

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic just until soft (about 5 minutes). Add sausage slices and cook until browned (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Add salt and pepper. Lightly oil 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine cooked pasta, chopped spinach, mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour into baking dish.

Pour pasta sauce over top and stir together. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Serves 6. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: an old church cookbook

Lemon Cream Pops

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Wed, 29 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

With popsicle season arriving quickly, I am having fun digging out some of our favorite frozen treat recipes again. I credit these creamy pops as the recipe that won my family officially over to the joy of homemade popsicles. They were sweet, but not too sweet and the silky texture was downright addicting! Next time I will try them with limes instead!

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:
1 can (14-ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (it took me 2-1/2 lemons to get the right amount)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.

Pour into 6-7 ice pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups and insert sticks.

Freeze for 6-8 hours or until solid.

Enjoy!

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

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Homemade Twix Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Lucky me, I have a couple of children who love to bake even more than I do. My waistline isn't sure it's such a blessing, but man oh man, my tastebuds sure do appreciate their culinary interest. These bars are ones my daughter whipped up one day right before guests arrived. Unfortunately she had not read ahead in the recipe to notice that they needed time to set up beforehand, so we served them to our guests as a not-so-lovely chocolate-caramel soup. We cleaned up from dinner that night, set them aside, and totally forgot about them until a couple of days later when we rediscovered them as perfectly set-up chocolate-caramel bars of goodness! After tasting them the second time, there was no forgetting them anymore and it did not take long for the rest of them to disappear. These were one of the best desserts I've had in a long time!

Click here for printable recipe (link updated).

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:
SHORTBREAD LAYER:
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat together butter and sugar and add vanilla. Stir in flour and salt until smooth. Press dough into a 9x13-inch baking dish (or up to a 12x16-inch pan) and poke several times with a fork. (How big your pan is, will determine how thick your layers are.)

Bake at 325-degrees for about 22-25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

CARAMEL LAYER:

1-1/2 cups butter
1-1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
6 Tbs. corn syrup
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter then stir in remaining ingredients, except vanilla.

Stir in remaining ingredients except for vanilla and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir at a low rolling boil for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Pour caramel over cooled shortbread and allow to set up for several hours or overnight. We placed ours in the fridge to hasten the process.

CHOCOLATE LAYER:

3-4 cups chocolate chips (we liked ours with dark chocolate)
2 Tbs. shortening

In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening together on high heat for two minutes, stirring every thirty seconds. Return to refrigerator to set, then cut into bars. Makes about 30 bars.
Store bars in a tightly covered container in the fridge with wax paper between layers. Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating.

Enjoy!

NOTE: For an extra special treat, try these in a candy mold. We coated the outside of the mold with melted chocolate, allowed it to set up, then placed a very small piece of shortbread (or Rice Krispies) and a spoonful of caramel into the mold and covered it with chocolate. My daughter won a cooking contest with these tasty and pretty treats!

Recipe Adapted from: Boy Cheese Sandwich

Turkey Taco Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

We love Mexican food around our house, but recently needed a change up from our normal enchiladas or taquito routine. This Turkey Taco Casserole is layered like a lasagna and totally hit the spot in our family! It came together pretty quickly and filled an 8x8-inch baking dish to the brim with warm cheesy Mexican goodness. The spiciness level was perfect for our family and we enjoyed it topped with plain greek yogurt, avocados, lettuce, and tomato! Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1-1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cans (4-oz. each) diced green chilies, divided
1 can (15-ounces) diced tomatoes, drained (oops, I forgot to drain mine)
1 can (16-oz) refried beans
1-1/2 cups Mexican blend cheese {or cheddar cheese}
2 flour tortillas, cut into 1" strips
1/2 cup salsa, plus more for serving
Desired toppings: Sour cream (or plain greek yogurt), sliced avocado, additional salsa, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce

Directions:

Cook the ground turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the turkey is almost cooked through, add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well. Then add one of the cans of diced green chilies and the can of diced tomatoes. Stir and continue cooking until everything is well combined and the turkey is cooked through. Remove from heat.

In a greased 8x8-inch square baking pan, spread about 1/3 of the turkey mixture along the bottom.

Then spread about 1/3 of the refried beans over the top of the turkey. (I heated my refried beans briefly to make it easier to spread)

Then layer 1/3 of the remaining green chilies, 1/2 cup cheese, and four of the tortilla strips.

Repeat layers twice more, spreading salsa over the last layer just before adding the cheese.

Cook at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Allow casserole to cool and set for about 20 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with desired toppings. We liked it with sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and more salsa.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Eat, Live, Run

Pink Lemonade Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

My friend came over for dinner one night and brought some pink lemonade cookies that she had made from a package. I really liked them and decided to look for a recipe online to make them from scratch. I found a recipe that looked good and started experimenting with it. I wanted the cookies to be a little tarter, so I switched the amount of sugar and the amount of the pink lemonade powder. (You can adjust the sugar and pink lemonade to your preference.) I loved the way they turned out! Here is the recipe the way I liked it best :)

Posted by AnnaLisa

Adapted from a recipe at apronstringsandpearls.

Click here for printable recipe.

The Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sweetened pink lemonade mix
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract (or lemon juice. I used juice from a fresh lemon.)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease cookie sheet.

- In large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemonade mix until fluffy.

- Beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon extract.

-Add dry ingredients to the batter, beating until thoroughly combined.

Dough will be crumbly.

-Roll dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place them 2" apart on cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes (or until edges start to brown.)

Although I didn't try it, I think these cookies might be really good with a lemony glaze on top.

Enjoy!

Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:26:00 +0000

One day my ten-year-old came to me requesting cookies. I didn't have the time to make any, so I told him to find a recipe and feel free to make them himself. He looked through my Pinterest page and got excited about these cookies. Made with Nutella and peanut butter, they are every bit as delicious as you'd expect them to be...even though they are 100% gluten free. Sadly, they only made a dozen so they didn't last long at our house. A few days later I made a quadruple batch for a dinner where there would be someone with a severe gluten intolerance in attendance. Although there were other desserts available, these chewy, yet crispy cookies were the first to go and my gluten intolerant cousin was thrilled to have an easy new recipe to throw into her gluten free repertoire. These are as easy as can be to make, but you do want to take extra care not to overbake these. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

1/2 cup Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Cream Nutella and peanut butter together. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Shape into balls and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Do NOT overbake. You want to take these out right before they look set up. Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Seeded at the Table

Easy Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:46:00 +0000

When our evening schedule gets really jam-packed like it is right now, cooking healthy meals for my family gets difficult . I find myself falling more and more to either convenience foods or to a few quick and easy recipes that I can throw together with ingredients I have in the house (this, this, and this being among our family's favorites). However, lately we have gotten a little tired of the same round robin of quick recipes and I have been on the hunt to add some more into the rotation. This one was one that was a smashing success at our house. It took about 5 minutes to chop the spinach and garlic and the rest of it came together in about 15 minutes! Only 20 minutes of effort and it made a meal that the whole family loved. The combination of cheese, tomato sauce, and pasta proved to be a winning combination and I will definitely be making this again soon!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 tsp. minced garlic (could use garlic powder)
1 can (15-oz.) tomato sauce ( I used pizza sauce)
1-3/4 cup beef or chicken broth
1-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (I used 3/4 tsp. basil, 3/4 tsp. oregano)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and set aside.

Brown the ground beef or turkey. Drain fat, then add minced garlic, tomato sauce (or pizza sauce), broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add chopped spinach and stir.

Add cooked, drained pasta and stir. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top and stir. Makes 4-5 servings.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted slightly from Joyful Homemaking.

Garlic Chicken Pasta (in the Crockpot)

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:56:00 +0000

Life with five kids is always hectic, but with spring activities kicking into high gear, I've found that dinnertime is getting the short end of the stick more and more often. This recipe is one I discovered, bought the ingredients for, and whipped out on one crazy night. Just throw the chicken and the bottle of marinade into the crockpot, let it cook all day, cook the pasta, and whip together the sauce in a couple of minutes an voila you have a very yummy dinner that takes about 10 minutes of hands-on cooking time. We loved the flavor of this dish and I am now keeping the Lawry's marinade in the pantry for another insane day.

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

1 pkg. (16 oz.) pasta

1/2 cup butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbs. pepper

2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Place chicken and bottle of marinade into crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

When chicken is tender and cooked through, remove from crockpot, drain the juices, and shred the chicken.

Set aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta as directed on package. In a small saucepan, melt butter, then add whipping cream, pepper, garlic, whipping cream, and chopped bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes.

In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Becky Higgins

Oatmeal Cream Pies (Little Debbie Knock Off)

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I come from a family who loves sweets and a mom that didn't love to bake, so we grew up getting our dessert fix from boxes of Little Debbie snacks. My parents had to hide them so we kids didn't make off with entire boxes of them at a time. My idea of a great day was when dad packed my lunch and put in an entire treat, rather than splitting it in half like my mom did. The Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies were simple, but always one of my very favorites of all the varieties. Now I'm all grown up and haven't bought a box of Little Debbies in well over a decade, so when I found this recipe on Pinterest I immediately became mildly obsessed with trying them. I talked my daughter into whipping up a batch one day, which instead of alleviating my obsession, seemed to only increase it. They actually taste similarly to the Little Debbie version and while I wouldn't call them healthy, this homemade version certainly doesn't have any preservatives or chemicals of the boxed version. We've since made them a few more times and I can say that these are among my new favorite cookies. I love it with lots of the coconut extract, but you could reduce that if you prefer. You want to cook these only until they look ALMOST done. If you overbake them, they will lose their fabulous chewy texture. Enjoy!

Makes about 12 sandwich cookies.

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:

Soft Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 Tbs. molasses
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. coconut extract (can use less if you don't care for coconut flavor)
1-3/4 cups + 2 Tbs. all purpose flour (I used half white whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour)
1 cup oats, ground slightly in blender (don't skip the blending--it really makes the texture)
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 jar (7-ounces) marshmallow creme

Directions:
COOKIES:
In a medium bowl, whip together butter, shortening, sugar, and molasses on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and coconut extract. Beat together. Add flour, blended oats, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Beat together until just mixed.

Form about 2-tablespoons of dough into balls (I didn't make them quite this big) and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until they looking slightly underdone. Take care not to overbake, as they will lose their fabulous chewy texture. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10-minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

When cookies are completely cooled, place a large spoonful of marshmallow frosting on the flat side of a cookie and sandwich together with another cookie. VOILA! A beautiful oatmeal cream pie cookie that taste similar, but better than the storebought version! Makes about 12 sandwich cookies.

FROSTING:
Whip together butter, shortening, and powdered sugar. When smooth and fluffy, add the jar of marshmallow creme and whip together until well combined.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted slightly from Cooking Classy.

Chicken Gyros

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

This chicken gyro recipe is everything we've been looking for in our food lately--wholesome, not time consuming to make, and still great tasting! My kids went a little light on the tzatziki sauce, but I liked mine oozing with it. You can grill the chicken if you prefer, but ours is out of order so we went with the stovetop instead.

These also make for a great lunch. Just pack the toppings and flatbread in their own little containers and throw together at lunch time. No need to even heat them! Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients: (makes 4 gyros)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thirds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
flatbread

TOPPINGS:
1 cup tzatziki sauce (click for recipe or buy it premade from the store)
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
sliced cucumbers
lettuce

Directions:
Combine garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and pour into a large Ziploc baggie.

Put sliced chicken breasts inside the baggie, seal, and place in fridge allowing to marinate for about one hour.

Preheat heavy frying pan to high, generously sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken, and place chicken in single layer. Cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned on the one side. Flip and repeat on the other side.

When both sides are browned (don't cook it all the way through yet), turn the heat down to LOW and cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove from pan and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing into smaller pieces.

Heat the flatbread for about 30 seconds in the microwave or until soft and pliable. Layer tzatziki sauce, chicken , tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and lettuce. Roll and enjoy! To get them to stay wrapped, use a toothpick or wrap it in foil.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Tide and Thyme.