When Life Throws You Lemons, Make Chocolate Cake

This sweet girl, my daughter Shelby, reminded me yesterday of how lucky I am to be a Mom. 

More importantly HER Mom. 

We were getting ready to go to a birthday party for one of her classmates last night and I noticed my check engine light was on. I pulled up my car hood and promptly called my dad, cause isn't that what every girl does when she has car troubles? After some deliberation, I noticed my coolant was completely empty. He said don't drive it. Greeeeeaaaaaat.

Alas, the party was a no-go, but to my shock there were only a few tears. Then Shelby came up with the plan that we could have a party at our house. Since she knew they were having pizza and cake, she decided that's what we should have. So we pulled out cookbooks, found a cake recipe and got to work. 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

1 tsp almond extract

1 egg

a handful of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your cake pan. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add dry ingredients and mix. 
3. Add wet ingredients (except the egg) and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. 
4. Add the egg and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour into your cake pan. 
5. Then sprinkle your chocolate chips on top.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes - then test with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it's done! 
7. Cool cake thoroughly, remove from pan. 
8. Then add your choice of icing and sprinkles and voila, you're done!

Recipe derived from One Bowl Chocolate Cake  

in the Better Homes and Gardens Celebrating the Promise Limited Edition Cookbook.

Edamame Salad Sandwich

 

A very healthy take-off on the egg salad sandwich, I give you the edamame salad sandwich!

The following goes in the food processor:

One 8 oz. pkg of edamame, cooked and shelled

1 heaping spoonful of olive oil mayonaise 

A sprinkle of sea salt

Drizzle sesame oil over top 

A handful of toasted cashews (or whatever nuts you like)

Blend ingredients, then pile up on your favorite bread! So easy, right?!

Enjoy ♥

SIDE NOTE:  

Sorry about the blurry picture, my phone is terrible - it definitely does not do this sandwich justice.
Hopefully I'm getting a new one soon - a Mom's day present from my hubby! 

Yeah, he rocks like that.

Simple and Yummy Chicken Salad

So I come home from shopping at Sam's Club this evening and to my delight there was an unexpected visitor
at our house. My step-daugher, Emily! I, of course, invited her to stay for dinner.
Then was left to ponder...what should I make? 

Here's what I came up and it was really simple to prepare - it only took me about 20 minutes. 

It's a super easy dinner for all you busy moms out there who need to get a nutritious meal on the table, and an added bonus, not too much clean up!

Ingredients:

Salad:

A handful of cherry tomatoes, diced

One can of corn

One can of black beans

The breasts from one of the roasted chickens you can get almost anywhere for like $6 or $7, chopped

A handful of spinach, ours was from our garden, chopped

1 cup of mango salsa (regular salsa would work too)

Dressing:

2 tbsp of chopped onions

1/4 cup of the salsa

2 tbsp of olive oil

one lemon, juiced

a couple good shakes of coriander and lime pepper seasoning

Chop up your salad ingredients and place in a bowl. Add dressing ingredients to the food processor or blender. Blend. Then add your dressing to the salad and fold in gently.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and a side of Tostitos Hint of Lime Chips.

Enjoy! ♥

Real Men Eat Quiche

So I asked my husband if he even liked quiche before I started developing this recipe and his answer,
"Real men eat quiche."
I don't know what that means, but I figured it meant "yes" so I went ahead
and started in on my dish. The end result, he LOVED it! So of course, I'm sharing with you,

Ingredients:

1 deep dish pie crust, baked

Cherry Tomatoes, halved

Broccoli, chopped

Roasted Red Peppers, minced

(Note: the above three ingredients will total 1 cup altogether)

1/4 cup bacon crumbles

1/2 cup Colby cheese, shredded.

1/2 cup Emmentaler cheese, shredded

(you can use Swiss if Emmentaler is not readily available to you)

 1 tbsp chopped basil

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups of milk

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

1/2 tbsp lemon zest

Directions:

Bake your pie crust as per the directions on the package. 

While your pie crust is in the oven, doing the following:

Prepare your veggies.
 

 Measure out your bacon crumbles.

Grate your cheeses.

Chop your basil leaves.

Mix your eggs, milk, salt, pepper and lemon zest in a bowl. Set aside.

Start layering your ingredients, like this:

Then pour your egg mixture over top when your pie crust is done baking.
 

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until the pie is firm.

Let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes, this allows it to set up.
Otherwise, it will fall apart when you try to slice into it.

Serve and enjoy! ♥

Edamame Sandwich Spread

So I sat wondering last night as I was getting ready to make dinner, if you can make an avocado spread to put on a sandwich, 
I bet you could do the same thing with edamame. My husband is the official taste tester in all my recipe developing and he loved it, so I thought I would share with you guys. 
It's just a little thing, but does give a sandwich a big WOW.

Ingredients:

1- 8 oz. package of edamame, steamed

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 heaping spoonful of olive oil mayonaise

Directions:

Steam your package of edamame,

 remove the shells, add salt.

Mash, then mash some more.

The end result will be chunky. 

You could put it in a food processor, but I rarely pull mine out unless it's for something big. 

I prefer the old school, use your pathetically small muscles method of cooking. 

Here's what it looked like when I served it up on a 

Toasted Ham and Provolone Sammie with a side of Sweet Potatoes Fries... 

 

 

     

Scavenger Walk

This game I thought up (so to speak) for my daughter today was such a hit that I'm sure we will be doing many more like it. It was such a beautiful day that I thought it would be fun to get out and do something. We are very lucky to live right next to our City Park, so I made up a Scavenger Hunt that we could do while walking in the park.

Make up a list of things to find. Check. 

Grab a clipboard, attach the list and a pencil, so you can mark off your items as you go. Check.

 Find a super cute bag to put your "treasures" in. Check.
 

I simply told my daughter I had a surprise for her, got her dressed, grabbed the stuff I put together, and we were on our way. 
I think it was more exciting that way because it was like an adventure for her. My daughter kept saying how fun it was and had no idea we were actually learning about reading and counting...love that!

 

Mom rocks! Check.

Meatloaf and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

YAY! It's Friday everyone. Today I am sharing two recipes, one meal, that would be perfect to make this weekend. Our weather forecast is calling for rain, and this meatloaf is a perfect comfort food for a cold, rainy day.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

Brussels sprouts

Bacon Crumbles 

French Fried Onions 

Sea Salt

Lemon Zest

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil generously onto a baking sheet. I always put tinfoil down first, but that's up to you.  

Zest a lemon onto a cutting board,

 
 then add it to a 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tbsp soy sauce and set aside. 

(You will drizzle that on last, leave it to marinate while you make the rest of meal.) 

Cut your brussel sprouts in half and put them flat side down until you have covered your baking sheet. 

Sprinkle bacon crumbles over top, 

 
then do the same with your French Fried Onions. 

 
Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Right before you put them in the oven with the meatloaf, drizzle your olive oil and lemon zest mixture over the top.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Now to prepare the meatloaf...

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

2 tbsp Bleu cheese dressing

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 c. French Fried Onions

6-7 Ritz Crackers, crumbled (medium to fine)

1 egg beaten

Directions:

Mix all those ingredients together, honestly it's easier to use your hands when you doing meatloaf, 
that way everything is thoroughly combined. 

Then spray a bread pan with non-stick spray, add your ingredients and gently press down all over 
to distribute ingredients to the edge of the pan.

Bake for both your brussels sprouts and meatloaf for 20 minutes. 

Remove your meatloaf from the oven and let it sit 2-3 minutes. 

Meanwhile, turn the oven to broil and give your brussels sprouts a little crisp 
under the broiler for a couple minutes. Watch them carefully, you don't want them to burn. 
I usually move them to the bottom rack of the oven so that doesn't happen. 
When you are satisfied with their crispiness, remove them from oven. 

Slice your meatloaf and serve with the roasted brussels sprouts.

Enjoy! ♥