Check this out!

Check out this blog Gourmet Mom on the go.

She has some delicious recipes (like these Marshmallow

Ice Cream S'more Stackers pictured above)

and also some fun recipes for kids.

I added a link to her blog on the sidebar under

recipe links. I can't wait to try out some of the recipes.

POTATO SKINS

Here is a good recipe that my family and I have enjoyed.


Ingredients:
5 large baking potatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp bottled red pepper sauce
1 package (8 ounces) shredded Mexican-style cheese (Cheddar Jack, asadero, and queso blanco)
6 slices precooked bacon, chopped
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/4 C chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
1/2 C sour cream
1 Tspn red wine vineager
2 tsp snipped fresh chives


Directions:
1. Scrub the potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Cook in the microwave on 100% power 15 to 20 minutes, turning potatoes once during cooking. Let cool.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise into four wedges. Carefully scoop out the insideof each potato with a teaspoon, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve 1 and a half cups potato pulp and cut into cubes.
3. Heat oven to 425 F. In a small cup, combine oil and pepper sauce. With a pastry brush, brush the insides of the potato skins with the oil misture and place on a baking sheet. In a bowl, toss potato cubes, cheese, bacon, green onions, and peppers. Spoon filling into the potato skins.
4. Bake for 15 minutes until potato skins are heated through and cheese has melted. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, vinegar, and chives. Serve potato skins with sour cream dip.

Number Of Servings:20

Preparation Time:30 minutes

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken
1 pkg frozen broccoli
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
Sauce- 1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. sour cream

Cook broccoli and chicken and layer in a 9x12 dish.
Pour sauce on top. Cover with cheese. You can also
top with 1 c. buttered bread crumbs or 1/2 box Ritz
crackers crushed. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Banana Banana Bread

This is a delicious and super moist banana bread recipe that I love. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and/or walnuts for extra flavor!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

Sloppy Joe Mix

2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 c. ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3-4 tsp. flour

Brown ground beef and onion together. Add remaining
ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cookie of the Day

Martha Stewart features a "Cookie of the Day".

These look so yummy. I love trying new cookie

recipes and can't wait to make these. Go

check out all the cookies.

GIANT TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

(This is from a cookbook with mostly metric measurements, so the amount might seem a little odd.  I just got as close as I could.)

3-1/2 oz. milk chocolate

3-1/2 oz. white chocolate

11 oz. dark (bittersweet) chocolate

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/4 cup self-rising flour

1 cup macadamia nut halves

1. Preheat the oven to 350*.  Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.  Coarsely chop the milk and white chocolate and put them in a bowl.

2. Chop 7 oz. of the dark chocolate into very large chunks, at least 3/4 inch in size.  Set aside

3. Break up the remaining dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, then the vanilla extract and brown sugar.

4. Add the flour and mix gently.  Add half the dark chocolate chunks, all the milk and white chocolate and the nuts and fold together.

5. Spoon 12 mounds on to the baking sheets.  Press the remaining dark chocolate chunks into the top of each cookie.  Bake for about 12 minutes until just beginning to color.  Cool on the baking sheet.  The cookies need to be completely cooled before they are moved.

*Instead of making 12 big cookies, I made 24 smaller ones.  They turned out well, but I think the big ones would hold together a bit better.  I wanted to be able to eat one without eating all my calories for the day in one go. :)

Cupcake Pops

Hey Yall, I made these yesterday. They are so yummy! I got the recipe from the Bakerella Blog!

Easy Pasta Frittata

This is a perfect brunch, breakfast or even quick dinner dish!

9 large eggs
1 c. packed spinach leaves, stemmed (or I just used frozen chopped spinach, cooked, about 3/4 c.)
2 scallions(green onions), trimmed and sliced
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped
4 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes (if using the kind packed in oil, drain oil)
1 c. cooked spaghetti
1/2 c. Monterrey Jack cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp light olive oil
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Beat eggs in large bowl until frothy. Add spinach, scasllionis, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, spaghetti, and Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix well. Place an oven safe 10 inch skillet with sides at least 1 1/2 inches high over medium heat. Add butter and oil. When hot, add the egg mixture, reduce the heat to medium-low and set timer for 8 minutse. After 8 minutes, top the frittata with parmesan cheese and place it(in the skillet) on middle rack of oven. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is lightly browned. Using a potholder, remove skillet from oven. Cut into wedges and serve. Accompany with salsa, if desired.

Note: Remember when its done, that the skillet is hot(handle included). I forgot and grabbed the handle to carry it over to the table. Ouch. Keep potholder over handle to remind yourself!

Photo and recipe courtesy of Anne Greer McCann, Dallas Morning News

100th post giveaway winner is.......

Congratulations Jessica!

Just send me a quick email brysonmelissa@hotmail.com

with your address and I will send you the cookbook.

Thanks to all those who participated. I look

forward to doing some more giveaways very soon!

S'more Bars

Ingredients:
8 whole graham crackers
1 (19.8 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:
Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Spread over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and peanuts. Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Orange Ice Cream Pops

1 c Milk
1 pt Ice cream, vanilla
6 oz Orange juice; frozen concentrate partly thawed

Combine all ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth.
Pour into Popsicle molds or 8 (3-1/2 oz) paper cups. Place in
freezer. If using paper cups insert wooden stick in each when
partially frozen. Freeze until firm and enjoy!