Grilling Goodness

We are always wanting to try something different.  We get into ruts and seem to eat the same thing week after week.  We have really gotten into grilling the past few weeks and have a had a great time trying different dishes.  This one was really good, liked by all with no known complaints, lol. We started out by grilling ALL of the ingredients, the chicken was grilled until completely cooked, followed by adding the pineapples, then the peppers and onions.  The peppers and onions were just grilled enough to get some good grill lines going.

After grilling, all the items were cut into bite sized pieces.  I mixed up the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple with some soy sauce, brown sugar and a hint of garlic powder, cheyenne powder, crushed red and black pepper and sea salt to taste.  I made foil packets and placed equal amounts of food items in each packet.  I then divided up the liquid into the packets and tightly closed each one.  I threw them back on the grill for about 10 minutes to let the heat help marinate the packet contents. The chicken stayed moist and the veggies still had some crisp to them.

The results were a slightly tangy spicy with the salty sweet mix.  The grilled pineapple burst with flavor and made me feel like I got dessert with my deal!  It was yummy, fairly healthy and super easy to make.  

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix 

1 1/4 cups champagne

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

4 to 5 drops red food color


Champagne Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup champagne

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 to 5 drops red food color

Garnishes
Betty Crocker pink decorating sugar Edible pink pearls

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

1. In large bowl, mix dry cake mix and champagne. Add oil, egg whites and food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed

2. minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4. In medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with garnishes. Store loosely covered.


Expert Tips
Champagne is a sparkling wine, and while many expensive champagnes are available, this is one time you might choose less expensive champagne. Have the champagne at room temperature when preparing the cake.

For pink decorator sugar crystals, edible pink pearls and decorative cupcake liners, check out fancyflours.com.

Sprinkle garnishes on cupcakes just before serving to maximize sparkle and keep them from absorbing moisture and melting into frosting.

Fried Pickles

I LOVE fried pickles!

1 jar dill pickle spears

1 cup flour

1/2 cup plain yellow corn meal

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

1 cup milk

Vegetable Oil to cook in

Ranch Dressing for dipping

Pour vegetable oil to a depth of at least 1/2 inch in medium sized skillet and place over medium high heat. Drain pickles and place spears on paper towel lined plate to absorb moisture while you prepare breading.

Place corn meal in small bowl. Add 1/2 cup flour and seasoned salt. Stir until well combined. In separate bowl, pour remaining flour and place milk in third bowl.

Using your hands, dip a pickle into milk, then flour, then milk, then cornmeal breading. Repeat until all pickles are breaded.

Carefully place pickles into hot oil and cook until browned, stirring once if needed, about ten minutes.

Remove from skillet and place on paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with ranch dressing.

These are extremely hot inside for several minutes after cooking.

Makes about 8

Panda Bread and Panda Cupcakes

I am a sucker for a cute little character, and this panda cupcake is no exception.  It may look complicated, but it's not as hard as you would think.  I found the recipe on several sights and all had the same picture I used here, lol.  Here is the general consensus on how they are made:  

-the flavor is up to you, I chose vanilla so I just had to use one mix (make them large!)

-make the same amount of small (mini size) cupcakes

-Chocolate, white vanilla and black frosting (use the small store bought tube of gel frosting.

-package of regular Oreos

-package of Mini Oreos

-mini chocolate chips

Directions:

-Each panda needs 2 regular sized Oreos cut in half

-frost the mini cupcakes with vanilla frosting for the head

-paint eyes and mouth with black frosting (use chocolate chip, large side out to add to eyes

-use the mini chocolate chips for the nose

-use 2 halves of the mini Oreos for the ears

-Scrape the white filling off of some Oreos and place the cookies in a baggie to crush

-Frost the large cupcakes with the chocolate frosting

-Coat the top of the big cupcake (by dipping it in) the cookie crumbs

-Attach each head to the body, (use toothpicks to keep in place)

-Use 2 halves of reg. Oreos for the arms, use a bit of the chocolate frosting to attach

-Paint the nails on, (can be helpful to use a toothpick)

-Set the feet at the base, (no need to attach)

ENJOY!!!!

This recipe might be a little tricky, but I used Google Translate to make some sense of it.  Here is the link: http://cookpad.com/recipe/349795   It was too cute to not pass along.  It would make a little one's lunch interesting and fun.  Plus, who doesn't like Pandas?!  This actually opens up a whole new idea for me.  It has me wondering what else I can make like this.  You don't even have to use the green tea, lol...you can use food coloring and let your imagination run wild.  Just watch that it looks eatable, lol.

Pineapple Strawberry Cheesecake

Pineapple Cheesecake

2 pkgs cream cheese (8 oz each)

½ cup sugar

1 can crushed pineapple, drained (20 oz)

1 carton frozen whipped topping (8 oz)

2 pkgs lady fingers (3 oz each)

1 pkg of Strawberries, sliced

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in pineapple. Fold in whipped topping. Place ladyfingers around the sides and on the bottom of a greased 9 in spring-foam pan. Pour filling into pan. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove sides of the pan and top with sliced strawberries.

Light, tasty and oh so delicious...perfect summer time treat!  The lady fingers dress it up enough for a formal get together, or make it fun for a casual after dinner dessert. 

Love the Lunchbox

My youngest is the only one left in school and by far my easiest to please when it comes to food.  I have to admit, his school does a terrific job providing a lunch for $2.  They have multiple choices, very healthy and no sub grade anything!  But there are just some days he really wants to do his own thing and bring something made at home. We try to keep it interesting, it's a way to get him to eat the good stuff and he actually sees it as s type of reward.  Yes, I reward my kid with veggies, lol...and he loves it!  Here are a few ideas we have come across.  They are not all easy, but with a little patience and practice it turns out pretty neat!

They might get a little messed up in transit to school, but they have fun putting it back together before they eat it!  Of course some items get wrapped to separate from the more moist ingredients to keep them from getting soggy.  It's not nearly as much work as it looks and it makes my kiddo a happy luncher!  I might even get a mention or two during lunch... 

                                                                            

This one is just too cute and contains many of my son's favorite things.  Packaging will be your biggest hurdle to get over.  I reuse the heck out containers from anywhere and everywhere.  To go boxes, deli container and I have a slight addiction to buying the ones that catch my eye.  It's cheaper than a shoe addiction and they stack better when stored! :)

These are also fun for lunches at home, and it takes away the chance of it getting messed up in the containers!  Finger food are fun to throw in and fun for the little ones.  I have even made my own up like these for work, lol.  It gets a few questions asked, but really I do it to see how well it travels before sending it with my son.  Trial and error, I'll make that sacrifice in the name of a good lunch!

Making lunch fun is a easy and healthy reward for kids.  The more fun you make it the more likely they are to eat it.  Healthy in disguise and gone before you know it!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

My husband's favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and his favorite cookie is Peanut Butter...so what would be a better treat to make for him than these! I can combine his two favorite sweets and  hopefully he'll like them.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift flour, soda and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.

Beat butter and peanut butter

Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla.

Add flour mixture and combine.

Roll dough into 1 to 1-1/2 inch balls and then roll the balls in sugar to coat.

  

                                                             

 Press rolled balls into the cavities of a mini muffin tray.

Place an unwrapped Reese’s peanut butter cup into each.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove. Let cool and then drizzle with chocolate if desired.