Snickerdoodles

It has been a long time since I have made snickerdoodles. They have a special place in my heart as they take me back to the summer that I spent with my cousin living at my aunt and uncle's house. We made a lot of memories that summer and one of them included doing a lot of baking. That is where I found my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! We also had to bake a lot of snickerdoodles for my uncle because that was his favorite cookie... It isn't one that I make a lot, but this recipe called my name. They were super soft and delicious, I am definitely going to have to make up a batch for him the next time that I see him!

Snickerdoodles
(recipe found at shesaved.com via pinterest)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high speed. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well. Preheat oven to 300 while you let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the topping. Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press it onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for the remaining cookies. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are removed from the oven. When the cookies have cooled they should be soft and chewy in the middle.

Weekly Line Up - 8/27-9/3

Where has summer gone? It flew by way to fast, but I am definitely ready to get back into the routine of the school year. I am a firm believer in kids have a schedule and while we still have a bit of a schedule during the summer, it is thrown by the wayside much easier in the fun of summer... Only a week and a half and my kiddos will be out the door every day. So, we are trying to squeeze in that last bit of summer fun in the next few days. Bike parks, horse riding, biking trails, maybe a zoo or two? Sounds like a good time to me!! Here's the line up for the next week...

Friday - Hot Dogs, Chips and Guacamole
Saturday - Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Sunday - Eggs/Toast
Monday - Spaghetti
Tuesday - Pick Your Own
Wednesday - *Stuffed French Bread
Thursday -*Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake
Friday - *Lemon and Garlic Dump Chicken

Extras: *Zucchini Brownies

* = New Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

My niece was a part of my daycare this past year and I'm a big sucker for my nieces and nephews. If it is in my power to make something that they want happen, I will definitely do it. She was my cooking buddy this past year and we did a lot of baking on the days that she was at my house. So, for her birthday we poured through my pinterest boards and she got to pick out something that she wanted to make for her birthday dessert. She saw this chocolate chip cheesecake and her mind was made up. So, this is the treat that we made... She has great taste if you ask me! This was fabulous and it was fun to make this kind of treat with her! (She also suckered me into the sugar flower to go on top of it!)

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
(recipe found at roxanashomebaking.com via pinterest)

Crust
8 oreo cookies
1/4 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake
2 1/2 cups (20 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup greek yogurt, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ganache
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the oven to 325. Grease a 9 inch heavy duty pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. In a food processor, add the Oreo cookies and the walnuts. Pulse until finely ground. Mix with the melted butter. Press the crust evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 5 minutes while making the cheesecake filling. In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, yogurt and sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until just combined. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs then add them to the cheese mixture. Stir in the vanilla. With a spatula, fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared crust. Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan filled with hot water. Make sure there's around 1 inch of water in the roasting pan otherwise the water will evaporate before the cheesecake is fully baked. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, slightly open the door and leave the cheesecake to cool in the warm oven for about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and refrigerate 4 or more hours before slicing. Just before serving, spoon a little ganache over each slice of cheesecake. To make the ganache, add the chocolate chips and heavy cream to a heatproof bowl. Microwave for a couple of seconds until the chocolate is melted. Stir to combine. Pour a little ganache over each slice of cheesecake.

Grilled Peanut Butter Honey Banana Waffle Sandwiches

Although I really like to make most of my recipes from scratch, sometimes you just need a recipe that calls for something out of the freezer that is super easy to throw together. This was definitely that recipe and my kids LOVED it a lot! It was a very easy breakfast, lunch, supper or snack idea that we all enjoyed!

Grilled Peanut Butter Honey Banana Waffle Sandwiches
(recipe found at momontimeout.com via pinterest)

2 Eggo Honey Oat Waffles
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 banana sliced
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon butter

Prepare the waffles according to the package instructions. Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on each waffle. Layer on the banana and drizzle on the honey. Put the sandwich together and grill over a lightly butter hot griddle until golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy!

Bacon, Egg and Tater Tot Bake

Tater tots are definitely something that we have on hand at all times in this house. They make for a nice and easy side dish when we are looking for something quick. Most of the ingredients in this fabulous breakfast bake are ones that I have on hand at all times. This was super yummy and a hearty enough dish that it kept all of us full for a long time. Super yummy!

Bacon, Egg and Tater Tot Bake
(recipe found at bettycrocker.com)

1 cup Bisquick
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 eggs
1 pound bacon, crisply cooked and chopped
6 cups tater tots
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon sliced green onion

Heat oven to 400. Spray 13x9 (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir bisquick, milk, pepper and eggs until blended; pour into baking dish, and top with half of the bacon. Place frozen potato nuggets in single layer on ungreased large cookie sheet with sides. Place both the baking dish and cookie sheet in oven. Bake 20 minutes. Place potato nuggets evenly on top of bisquick bake; top with cheese and remaining bacon. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Top with green onion. Serve with ketchup.

Lemon Meringue Pie

This post is a hard one to write but I figured today was a fitting day to write it. My grandma passed away this past spring. She was such a wonderful woman and it was one of the hardest moments of my life. She has been in my life for 39 years, took care of me when I was younger and continued to be there for me every step of the way. There are times when I start to think "I can't wait to talk to Gram about this" and then it hits me, I can't do that anymore... I'm not the first one to lose a loved one and I know that I'm not the only one that has that feeling, but it's my grief and it feels like I'm alone at times.

Everything happened quite quickly. One minute she was at home with my Grandpa and I was stopping over dropping off meals and treats and the next minute she was in the hospital. She came home and never made it back out of her hospital bed. That's a hard pill to swallow. In my mind, she never stopped. She was that grandma that was out mowing the lawn at 80... It was really hard to see her laid up in a hospital bed.

As she was in the hospital she told me that she was craving lemon meringue pie. She was a huge sweets fan. I know that I definitely inherited this from her! :) This has never been a favorite of mine, I'm not too partial to meringue, but I knew that this was one thing that I could give her. I came home and found a recipe for lemon meringue and made it for her. By the time that she got home she wasn't eating much, but it was my pleasure to be able to make what she wanted - even if she only enjoyed a bite of it... For my Gram it was the least I could do. So, enjoy... I don't think that I will ever see lemon meringue pie again without thinking of her.

Lemon Meringue Pie
(recipe found at http://www.rockrecipes.com)

Filling
1/3 cup corn starch
1/3 cup flour
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
Zest of 2 large lemons, very finely chopped
Juice of 2 large lemons
2 cups water
3 tablespoon butter

Meringue
5 egg whites
11/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make the pastry, using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can freeze the second round for another time. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out. Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate. Trim and flute the edges as desired. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the pastry shell, rest in the refrigerator for an additional 20 minutes before baking at 400 for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before adding the filling.

To make the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine corn starch, cake flour, sugar and salt. Pour in water and stir constantly over medium low heat until mixture comes to a slow boil. The mixture should be very thick and paste-like at this point. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for another couple of minutes if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and reduce the flame to low. Pour about a cup of this mixture onto the slightly beaten egg yolks while whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the rest of the other mixture in the pot, whisking constantly. Return to the stove and cook for an additional 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and lemon rind. Finally whisk in your butter one tbsp at a time. Pour the filling into the baked and cooled shell. Let stand for a few minutes while preparing the meringue.

To prepare the meringue, whip egg whites, vanilla, salt and cream of tarter to soft peaks. Very gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites. Dollop in heaping tablespoonfuls onto pie. Gently spread over the filling, making sure that the meringue touches the crust all the way around the pie. This will help to prevent the meringue from shrinking. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until the meringue is well browned. Cool pie thoroughly in the refrigerator before serving. Keep refrigerated. Dip a sharp knife in cold water to help with cutting the pie into slices and clean the knife with paper towel between cuts.

Pizza Burgers

This was a nice twist on sloppy joes. The same concept but a litte bit different. The kids really enjoyed this and the hubs was glad to have something yummy and easy to take for lunch the next day. A quick and easy supper paired with fruit and chips and supper was on the table!

Pizza Burgers
(Recipe found at http://www.sidetrackedsarah.com via Pinterest)

2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
24 ounces of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Dash of Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cheese to top with
Hamburger Buns

Cook ground beef in skillet until brown. Place meat in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 2-3 hours until onions are tender. Serve on hamburger buns topped with cheese.

Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast

This glaze was so fabulous that I have used it a few times since this recipe, on everything from different cuts of pork to chicken. It was super savory and delicious. We all enjoyed this recipe and while it was a bit of work, it was well worth the time.

Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast
(Recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 boneless rolled pork loin roast (4 pounds)

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, apple juice barbecue sauce and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened. Set aside one cup sauce. Place roast in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 1 3/4 hours. Spoon a third of the remaining glaze over pork. Bake 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160, basting twice. Let stand for 1- minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce.

Egg White Bites

I love breakfast at any time of the day and I love something that is super easy to prepare when I wake up in the morning. These were perfect because I could get them ready and keep them in the fridge for a while. I love that you can change this recipe up to your liking, tossing in whatever veggies you want. Supper yummy and healthy!

Egg White Bites
(Recipe found at fitsuccess.blogspot.com via Pinterest)

1/4 onion, diced
1/2 pepper, diced
Handful of spinach, chopped
egg white carton (24 T. total is used)
olive oil cooking spray
black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray each muffin tin with olive oil cooking spray so it lightly coats the bottom. Add spinach, red pepper, diced onion and fill each muffin tin with egg whites. When using the mini muffin tins, it only took about 1 tablespoon of egg whites to fill it. Sprinkle the tops with black pepper to taste. Bake for about 10 minutes in mini muffin pan. If you are using regular sized muffin tins, let them cook for about 20 minutes. Top with salsa.

Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

The hubs loves a good chocolate chip cookie and I am fond of oatmeal cookies, so I thought that this combo would be perfect for both of us! :) I like pretty much any cookie but for me, the addition of oatmeal just pushes it right over the top. These hit the spot and will definitely be added to my rotation of cookies! :)

Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Recipe found at justapinch.com)

1 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon round cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
2 packages milk chocolate chips (12 ounces packages)

Heat oven to 350. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Weekly Line Up - 8/14-8/21

Heading out tomorrow on our yearly week long camping vacation and we are pretty pumped! Now, usually I am cooking all week long so that I can throw food in the freezer, pull it out when we want it and throw it in the crock pot. This year we are heading up to Canada and I was a little nervous about all the regulations for when you cross the border. So, I poured through my recipes and went with what I could make from the freezer or a can. I think that it is still going to be quite yummy and not time consuming (which is exactly what I want when we are on vacation). Have a great week - we certainly will!

Supper Meals - *Pie Iron Calzones, *Taco Chicken Bowls, *BBQ Meatballs
Lunch Meals - Camping Haystacks, Laughing Cow Wraps, Chicken Salad with Pita Bread
Snacks - caramel snack mix, sweet and salty fritos, nutty berry trail mix, granola, guacamole

* = New

Magic in the Middle Cookies

These took a little bit more effort than most cookies that I make, but they were something different than our normal cookie and a sweet tasting cookie to bite into. I love the combo of chocolate and peanut butter, so that definitely drew me in to this recipe. It was worth the time and effort that it took to make a multiple step cookie!

Magic in the Middle Cookies
(Recipe found at justapinch.com)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large whole egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well. In a small bowl, stir together the 3/4 cup of peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. With floured hands or a teaspoon scoop, roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough. Make an indentation in the center with your finger and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation. Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together cover the center; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out into ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, or until they're set and you can smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Pina Colada Cupcakes

These beauties were made for a night at ECFE that I was in charge of the menu. It was a luau themed night, so you know that I had to go all out for that! :) And what fits better for a treat at the end of the night than Pina Colada Cupcakes?? Adults and children alike were excited about these cupcakes!

Pina Colada Cupcakes
(Recipe found at glorioustreats.com via Pinterest)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple, drained slightly

FROSTING
1/2 cup butter (cool)
8 ounces cream cheese (directly from fridge)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
4 cups powdered powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or milk or 1 Tablespoon Dark Rum

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes). On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended. Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350 oven for about 22 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. For frosting, place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy. Slowly add the heavy cream or rum. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use at once or keep refrigerated. For added flavor and texture, top frosted cupcakes with toasted coconut. (To toast coconut- lay about 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 375*F about 4-5 minutes - keep a careful eye, it browns quickly once it starts.)

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

As you can tell from the picture, these were another set of gifts that my kids were handing out to people that help in their classrooms. You know me, they would never be tied up so cute if it was just for our family! :) These were super yummy and hard to put away once I started snacking on the batch that I made for our house. They were a great combo of sweet and salty...

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
(Recipe found at mylifewellloved.com via Pinterest)

16 ounces bag of pretzels
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300. Pour pretzels into a large bowl. Combine oil, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour combined mixture over pretzels and mix well to fully coat the pretzels. Place coated pretzels on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, shifting and shaking cookie sheet a couple of times during the baking process.

Bacon Cheeseburger Bites

I love when appetizers look a little complicated but are truly simple! With the help of my stand mixer, these savory treats came together very quickly. Although I didn't freeze them beforehand this time, I like that that is an option. I put out sides of bbq sauce, ketchup and ranch for dipping options and these went fast. The kids even got to grab a few after the bunco ladies went through and they kept trying to come back for more!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
(Recipe found at plainchicken.com via Pinterest)

1 pound hamburger
3 ounces bacon bits
1 cup cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon worschestire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 1/4 cup Bisquick


Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients until well combined. (I use my stand mixer.) Roll into 1-inch balls. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until brown. Bacon Cheeseburger Bites may be frozen uncooked. If baking frozen, add a few minutes to the baking time. I chose to bake on a wire rack over a cookie sheet so that the grease dripped off as they cooked.

Super Lotion

I found this recipe on pinterest and I knew that I had to try it. I have some super rough feet and anything that claims that they will soften them is something that I need to try! :) I have made it a few times and mixed it up a bit. I tried it with a little more vaseline the second time and it felt a bit too greasy for me. When I have made it with exactly the 3/4 cup it felt really great on my skin. Mix it up to fit your skin type!

Super Lotion
(recipe found at theskirtgirl.com via pinterest)

15 ounces Johnson’s Baby Lotion (the pink kind)
4 ounces Vitamin E Cream
1 capful Vitamin E oil
3/4 cup Vaseline

Whip all ingredients together using stand mixer. Place in container that is sealable. She recommends a ketchup bottle, I use a yogurt container.

Weekly Line Up - 9/7-9/13

This week has the makings of a much calmer week for our family. With a lot of our summer programs done and one vacation behind us, we have a bit more home time. This is definitely a nice change, but since I really like to go, go, go I am really looking forward to our second vacation that is coming up next week. This week we have a family reunion and a pool party that I am making some treats for, so you know that I am heading out with a few new recipes. Can't wait to see how they turn out!!

Friday - Barbecue Meat Loaf Minis
Saturday - *Strawberry Cheesecake Salad, Barbecue Chicken Salad
Sunday - Tacos/Refried Beans
Monday - Hot Dogs, Baked Beans
Tuesday - Baked Spaghetti
Wednesday - *Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi
Thursday - *Pizza Waffles

Extras: *Garlic Cheese Pull Apart Bread, *Raspberry Chocolate Bars

* = new recipes

Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels

This was one of the savory dishes that I made for bunco this last time. I enjoy spicy dishes, so it was good for me, but there were a lot of ladies guzzling their drinks after eating some of these. They were easy to make and put together and I was able to make these the night before, which makes my life a lot easier! Don't forget this awesome tip: To easily shred chicken, bake in oven until cooked through and then put into your stand mixer and turn it on. Chicken will be shredded quickly!

Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels
(Recipe found at freshdreamer.com via Pinterest)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup hot wing sauce (this was a little spicy, I might cut back next time)
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup colby-jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
5 large flour tortillas

In a bowl, beat cream cheese on low and add in sauce, blue cheese, colby-jack cheese, and green onions. Beat until blended. Stir shredded chicken into mixture by hand. Spread approximately 3/4 cup of mixture on top of one of the tortillas. Roll up tortilla tightly, but without shifting the mixture too much. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Place rolled tortillas on a place and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Slice each rolled tortillas in half and then each half into 3 slices, discarding ends. Place pinwheel slices on serving plate or tray.

Peanut Butter Cheeseball

The next few recipes are from my night of bunco at my house... We usually have a buffet of appetizers, dips, hot and cold - pretty much whatever the host wants to make. Since I love to bake and cook, I usually go all out and try new things! :) I started with this fabulous peanut butter cheeseball. Usually the cheeseballs that I make are more of the savory kind so this was a switch for me. It was delicious paired with all kinds of yummy crackery type "vehicles". Chocolate animal crackers, graham crackers, nilla wafers - whatever floats your boat as long as it is sturdy!

Peanut Butter Cheeseball
(Recipe found at the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Pinterest)

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
dipping items - apples, graham crackers, animal crackers, etc...

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until blended. Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape. Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into morsels to completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary. Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (Can be made ahead. If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.)

Taco Spaghetti

When I saw "taco" I knew that I wanted to try this recipe with my family... These are both meals that my family loves, so how would they taste together? Fabulous!! We didn't add all the taco toppings to our taco spaghetti, but it still tasted awesome. My kiddos LOVE black olives, so I go a little crazy when I add those to my meals and my family is okay with that! :)

Taco Spaghetti
(Recipe found at sohowsittaste.com via Pinterest)

5 ounces dried spaghetti, broken
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
11 ounces can whole kernel corn with peppers, drained
1 cup sliced pitted black olives
1 cup colby jack or cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup salsa
4 ounces can diced green chili peppers, drained
shredded lettuce
tortilla chips
tomato
sour cream, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Preheat oven to 350. In a 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is brown. Drain fat. Stir in water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pasta, corn, olives, half of the cheese, salsa, and green chili peppers. Transfer mixture to lightly greased 2-quart round casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until melted. Serve with shredded lettuce, tortilla chips, tomatoes, and sour cream, if desired.

Crockpot Chicken Burritos

Don't these look delicious? I mean, as I am typing up this recipe I am thinking, "man we need to have these again soon!". They were super yummy and I love that most of the prep work can be done in advance and thrown into the crock pot. I'm not a big fan of two step cooking, but these were super worth it. I paired this with the refried beans that my family can't get enough of!

Crockpot Chicken Burritos
(Recipe found at laaloosh.com via Pinterest)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
1 (4 ounces) can diced chiles
1 packet taco seasoning
8 tortillas
1 (15 ounces) can enchilada sauce
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced fat Mexican-style cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 and spray an 11 x 13 inch baking dish with nonfat cooking spray. Place chicken, tomatoes, chiles, green peppers, onion, garlic, and taco seasoning packet into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and stir. Drain off excess liquid. To make burritos, spoon about 3/4 cup burrito mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with 1 tablepoon shredded cheese. Fold up burrito and place in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over burritos and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Place in oven and cook until cheese melts and begins to bubble, about 10-12 minutes.