BBQ Chicken Salad

I Have a ton of lettuce in my fridge that really needs used up so I found this recipe from The sisters Cafe and it turned out YUMMY!!!!!

2 Large chicken breasts
1 C. bbq sauce
1 can black beans (I used dried that I had cooked & frozen previously)
1 can corn (I used frozen)
lettuce cut up
shredded cheese
1 bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro
tortilla strips

Cook the chicken breasts in a bit of EVOO. When cooled shred. Return to pan add the bbq sauce. you can add more or less. I used Sweet baby rays. It has the best flavor. Let it cook with the sauce for 5-10 min. Cut up lettuce add onion and cilantro. Add the cooked beans and corn. Its best to let them cool if you just cook them.
Layer the lettuce mixture on plates then add chicken, cheese and top with your favorite dressing. THen add the tortilla strips.
To do the strips. cut a corn tortilla into skinny strips. On a baking sheet spray the tortillas with cooking spray and salt then broil in the oven until crispy. Watch it carefully!!!

Strawberry Cupcakes

These are soo yummy!!! I found the recipe the other day (cannot remember where) and couldnt wait to try them. They have the Perfect amount of strawberry flavor. I cant wait to try them with different berry purees.

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour            1/2 c. cake flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder                1 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, softened              2 1/4 c. sugar

3 large eggs                                   1 egg white

1 c. buttermilk                              1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. strawberries, pureed            red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating after every addition.

Reduce speed to low. Combine buttermilk and vanilla together and set aside. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture; end with the dry ingredients. Fold in strawberries. If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring until a pretty pink color is reached. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed in. Divide batter among muffin cups (about 30), filling them almost all the way to the top.

Bake cupcakes until a knife inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool in muffin tins.

We iced them in piping bags with Buttercream frosting.

1/2 C. softened butter

1/2 C. crisco

4 c. powdered sugar

4 Tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla

mix well until desired thickness if needed add more milk or sugar. color to your liking.

Pineapple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

3 C. Flour
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C butter, softened

In med bowl combine ingredients. Mix well. Press into large cookie sheet and poke holes with fork. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or until lightly browned.

While crust is cooking make coconut topping:

2 Tbsp melted butter

3 C. sweetened coconut, grated

In a small bowl mix together. Set aside

cream cheese filling;

16 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
20 oz can crushed pineapple

Combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar, milk, almond & vanilla extracts in a large bowl. Beat with mixer until smooth. Add crushed pineapple.

Pour over baked crust

Sprinkle the coconut topping on top

Bake at 350 for 18-20 min or until coconut has browned and middle is set. Chill for at least ONE hour before serving.

Homemade Pizza!!!!

I decided yesterday I'd make pizza and let the kids make their own. I've never done that before and was kinda worried that I'd regret it. It wasnt terrible. My boys (age 3) kept trying to eat the dough and pepperoni (they love pepperoni!!!) even after my daughter had hers made they tried eating the topping off before we baked. All in all they had fun.

Here is the pizza dough i used:

2 Cups whole wheat flour ( you can use all wheat or do some white too)- I ended up using 2 1/3 cups total.
1 pkg (1 Tbsp) yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 C. warm water
1 tsp honey

Add water & yeast until dissolved. Add olive oil, salt and honey. Add four and knead until smooth. Add more if needed. Just until its a big ball. Place in a greased bowl and let rise 45 minutes.

I doubled the recipe and we had 6 balls of dough to do seperate pizzas.

Then I rolled them out. Layed on cookie sheets. Poured some spaghetti sauce on and then put toppings on and topped with cheese. And baked at 350 for about 10-15 min. I really didnt time it. I just checked the crust and when it seemed like it was browned I took it out.

Toppings we used were: Pepperoni (kids love that!), for mine I used zucchini diced up , spinach & pepperoni (it was yummy!!!)

 Here are my kids helping

and the pizza's

White Bread

Lets face it. I suck at making bread. However I decided I would try ONE last time to see if I failed again. and what do you know. I DIDNT!!! I got this recipe from The Sisters Cafe. It was Idiotproof!!!! I loved it. so tasty. I cut the recipe in half because I'm lazy and didnt want to mix by hand. So i used my loved Kitchenaid!

2/3 cup powdered milk 

3 heaping Tbsp of instant yeast

6 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar

6 Tbsp shortening

6 cups warm water

Flour (approx. 15 cups total)

Mix powdered milk, yeast, salt, sugar, and shortening in large mixer like a Bosch. (*your Kitchen Aid is not big enough! It will handle a half recipe though.) Add warm water. Add about 4 to 5 cups flour and beat until well mixed. Add flour slowly until dough comes away clean from the edge of the mixing bowl. Allow to knead for 5 more minutes. Do not add too much flour. Cover with greased plastic and allow dough to rise. Once it has doubled in size, divide into 6 parts. Form each into a log, tucking and pinching the dough underneath to make it smooth on top. (This is easily done if you lightly roll out the dough and roll up lengthwise, pinching together seam and tucking in the ends.) Place each into a greased loaf pan and raise until the size of a bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 loaves.

Shrimp Dip

This is a very easy and very yummy shrimp dip.

Take a 8 oz of softened cream cheese- spread on the bottom of a pan (one a tad smaller than a 9x13 pan)

then 1 can of shrimp. I think med is the size i use- drain and put on top of cream cheese

then 16 oz of cocktail sauce- (i've used 8 before and its good)- pour over the shrimp

1 punch of green onions chopped- sprinkle on top

eat with FRITOS!! the scoops are better to use.

enjoy!!