Black bean and sweet corn quinoa salad

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan

add 1 medium yellow chopped onion saute about 4 min then add

2 garlic cloves cook another min or two careful not to burn the garlic

add 3/4 C quinoa

add 1 1/2 C broth

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

bring to a boil

cover and simmer 20 min or til water is absorbed.

should look like this. i like to stir to make sure it doenst stick.

after water is absorbed it should look like this.

add 1 C. frozen corn

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans rinsed and drained

cover and let sit off burner about 5 min.

add 1/2 C. chopped cilantro  serve warm or chilled.

i added lemon juice to mine and it was yummy

Banana Poppyseed Muffins

Heat oven to 400

mash 2 ripe bananas (i like to use my kitchenaid mixer rather than a fork)

They should look like this after they are mashed

add to the banana mixture:

1 egg

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C vegetable oil ( i use apple sauce instead for lower fat)

1/2 C. Milk

2 tsp poppy seeds

Mix

add 1 1/2 C flour (i mix whole wheat and white flour)

2 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

mix well

Should look like this.

I added about 1/4 c lemon juice at this point to make them lemony

Fill muffin tins about 1/2 some of mine were a bit more and it was okay

I got exactly 24 muffins

Bake at 400 for 20 min and they look like this

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Cake balls

These are super yummy. This was my very first time making these so bare with me lol

Okay first bake a cake. any kind. I made a yellow cake and added pink food coloring (per my daughters request) after its baked throw it in a pan like so

Mix it until its all crumbs

add a can of frosting I used cream cheese frosting but any kind works. I think its the 16 oz can.

Mix until its all mixed together like so.

I used homemade frosting (and cake) but I think I used too much frosting..whoops

Roll into balls and put on wax paper on cookie sheets

(i'll admit mine looked like blobs on the cookie sheet cuz with the frosting they wouldn't roll but after in the freezer for 3 hours i was able to roll like this)

Roll in melted chocolate. any kind. I used milk chocolate chips

I keep mine in the freezer yummy...

Chocolate covered strawberries

These are so easy and SOO yummy. I had about a half a carton of them left and decided to make chocolate covered strawberries.

All I did was use my lil' dipper (a mini crockpot) but you can use anything even microwaving. Next time I'm gonna use my fondue pot. Melt MILK CHOCOLATE chips. or your kind of preference.  and use a fork or a fondue stick and dip it and let it dry on waxed paper. dries in about 10 minutes. I love the milk chocolate because it doesnt break off in chunks.

M & M Chocolate chip cookies

m & M Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together

1 ½ C. sugar

1 ½ C. brown sugar

2 C. butter

2 tsp vanilla

add six eggs one at a time

add:

5 C. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

add:

2 C. quick oats

2 c. chocolate chips

Mix well; chill. drop onto greased cookie sheet. put m & m on top

  and bake 12-15 minutes.

 * I didnt chill my dough*

These were my favorite growing up i always had my mom make these to take to school for my birthday. they make about 5 dozen

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 pkg homestyle noodles (or you can make your own)

sliced up carrots (its prob about a cup or so)

some corn (if you want again its about a cup)

chicken (i use tenders )

celery (I used about 2-3 stalks)

tomatoes (about a cup)

Just add everything to a crock pot add some water to cover everything and some then add 2-3 chicken bullion cubes. I cook on HIGH for about 5 hours otherwise the carrots will NOT be done. Then I take a fork and shred the chicken. It breaks apart super easy. Then about 45 min before you want to eat add the noodles and cook until done. 

Sometimes I will cook mashed potatoes and serve over it

almond/lemon sugar cookies

Almond or Lemon Sugar Cookies

Melanie from Sisterscafe.blogspot.com (Recipe from Homebased Mom via Frosted Bake Shop)

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. almond OR lemon extract

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Glaze: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. almond OR lemon extract, 4-5 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl. Mix well, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Beat 1 to 2 more minutes. It will be really dry if you dont mix long enough so make sure it  looks like this pic

Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and flatten balls to 1/4 inch thickness with the bottom of a floured glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at for 7-9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. I like mine almost under-baked, remember they stiffen up as they cool. Cool 1 minute.

Stir together glaze ingredients with a wire whisk. Decorate cooled cookies with glaze and sprinkles.

*I used the almond and oh soooo yummy. they didnt last long in my house*