Hot Chocolate Valentine's Treats?

When I was at Dominick's on Sunday, I saw they were selling the hot cocoa cones pictured above, but with a twist...they added heart shaped cinnamon red hots on top of the marshmellows. (I think they were selling them for around $5!)

It got me thinking how this could be a cute Valentine's treat for your child to bring into school. Hole-punch a regular Valentine and tie it on to the top when you tie off the hot chocolate cone. (You could even use red ribbon to make it prettier! Most craft stores sell ribbon with hearts on it around this time of the year.)

Not only do their friends get a Valentine, but they also get a treat to enjoy when they get home. And with the way the weather's been, hot chocolate will hit the spot! Brrr!! It might also be something for a Bake Sale, if your school is having one.

Here's my original posting on the hot chocolate cones.

Family Fun: Turkey Cupcakes?

I saw these cupcakes and thought they were too cute not to share!

Click here for the recipe! (They also have a long list of Thanksgiving recipes here.)

The great part is...you can get most of the ingredients fairly cheap right now! Buy up some Halloween candy corn & licorice from the clearance area. You can get Betty Crocker frosting at Walgreens this upcoming week for $.40! And a lot of grocery stores are having sales on cake mixes. You just need some cookies!

They might make a cute addition to your Thanksgiving tradition! You know the kids will want to gobble them up! :)

Simple Recipe: Doritos Taco Salad

Is your Doritos bag down to the broken crumbled chips? Don't throw them out! They'll be perfect for this recipe!

You'll need:
Doritos, broken up in pieces
Chopped Lettuce
Chopped Tomatoes (Cut grape tomatoes work great!)
Sliced Olives
Ranch Salad Dressing

Now this recipe really doesn't have "set amounts." You just basically add equal parts of everything. For the Ranch Salad Dressing, gradually add it little by little until everything is nicely covered. It's mostly a personal preference recipe. You can always add hamburger or onions or whatever you like to it.

I prefer this dish after it's set/chilled just for a little bit, so everything is blended and settled. I whipped up a batch this weekend, as I had just a little bit of all the ingredients left. It was a perfect combo to our pasta! It's a great dish to make if you've had Tacos and have just a little bit of everything left. Also, I used Bacon Ranch Dressing and it tasted just as good!

Enjoy!

Simple Recipe: Taco Chili

I made this for our playdate this week and was asked by all for the recipe. So I thought I might share it with you,too. This comes from another of my favorite books The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet - A Month of Meals Made Easy. (You can download an 8 page sampler there.) They teach you how to make enough meals in one weekend to last an entire month! When you purchase the book, you also get the username/password to their online recipes on their website! Here's the Chili recipe (for 12 servings!!)

2lbs. of hamburger
1 package of taco seasoning (I use Old El Paso 40% less sodium)
1-28oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1-15oz. jar of salsa (I used Chi-Chis Thick n' Chunky Medium)
1-15oz. can of corn, undrained
1-16oz. can of kidney beans, undrained
1-15oz. can of black beans, DRAINED and rinsed

Optionals:
8oz. of sour cream
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag of Tostitos Scoops chips (in place of a spoon!!)

Brown hamburger. While the hamburger is cooking, add all the rest of the ingredients into a large pot or crockpot. Drain any fat off the hamburger and add to that pot. Stir to combine. Heat until hot and bubbly. Serve with "optionals." I highly recommend the scoop chips in place of using a spoon. It makes it taste more like a taco. Freeze up any leftovers in Ziploc bags, marking with the date and "Taco Chili." (Don't add optionals to what you freeze!)

Enjoy!

Simple Recipe: Betty Crocker Piggy Pancakes

I found this through a Betty Crocker e-newsletter and thought they were too cute to not share! Here is the direct link to the site and here's their recipe:

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or raisins

1. Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk and eggs until blended.
2. Lightly oil griddle. For each pig face, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot oiled griddle. Pour scant tablespoonful batter onto griddle for snout and another scant tablespoonful for ears.
3. Cook pancakes until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.
4. To serve, place large pancakes on individual serving plates. Place 1 small pancake in center of each face for snout; poke 2 holes for nostrils with end of handle of wooden spoon. Cut second small pancake in half for ears; place at top of face. Use blueberries for eyes.

I can see these being especially popular with the toddler-aged kids. Nathan is getting to that picky-eater phase and I bet these would make him love pancakes all the more!

Enjoy!

Simple Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

This recipe is as easy as ordering take-out. You only have to do it 5 hours sooner! :)

4 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
1 16oz. jar of your favorite salsa
2 cups shredded cheese (optional)
rice (optional)

Add chicken breasts to the slowcooker. Pour salsa over the top. Cook on low for 5-8hrs, until tender, but not dry. Top with shredded cheese, upon serving. Serve on a bed of rice. (I say these are optional because I didn't use either and it still tasted great!)

When I made this, I served it with a side of Fiesta Sides:Mexican Rice. It was a REALLY good combo. The nice thing about this recipe is if you haven't thought about supper until lunchtime, you can still make it. I only had to cook mine for the 5hr timeframe.

I found this recipe in the book: Fix it And Forget it: 5 Ingredient Favorites. I've only got as far as making about 5 recipes from it but so far, I like it! The great thing is, with only 5 ingredients or less, each recipe is usually grocery-budget-friendly! But like with all recipe books, I recommend that you browse through them at the library or bookstore before buying to make sure it's your style.

Happy Cooking!