Simple Pineapple Salsa

I love entertaining and I love cooking. But sometimes combining the two is more stressful than it is enjoyable. That's why I am always on the lookout for recipes that are quick, easy and pack a powerful punch of flavor. My simple pineapple salsa recipe does all that. Plus, it is pretty good looking if I do say so myself!

Whipped Topping Dyed Eggs

Whipped Topping Dyed Eggs

Are you looking for a fun way to get the kids in the kitchen and dye some eggs this Easter? Whipped Topping Dyed Eggs are a great kid friendly activity. They are quick and easy. But I'm not going to lie, things could get a little messy!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

It is the peak of summer in the Midwest and if you are a gardener that means zucchini season. It is around this time every year I begin my search for recipes to use up the abundance of the bounty of zucchini my garden provides. My oldest son loves chocolate in any way shape or form. My youngest likes things spicy. So this recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate Zucchini Muffins combines the best of both worlds!

Pumpkin Pecan Praline Dip

I love the taste of Fall. One of my favorites is pumpkin. Pair that with pecans and I'm in heaven. Below is my recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Praline Dip. It is not too sweet with the addition of Greek yogurt, but it’s full of of fall spice! It is super easy to make and great to take to a gathering of family and friends. They will love it! For some other creative ways to use Greek yogurt, be sure to check out some of Chobani’s great holiday recipes!

Say! I Like Green Eggs and Ham!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!

March 2nd marks a special day in children's literary history. It is the birthday of Dr. Seuss! There are many activities associated with this great day such as Read Across America.

Cheesy Mexican Salsa Dip

Tired of plain old salsa? Looking for a quick and easy dip alternative? Try this Cheesy Mexican Salsa Dip. Whether you serve it at room temperature or bubbly hot from the oven, you won't be disappointed! So rich and creamy and filled with sour cream, cheese and salsa. How can you go wrong?

Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread

Looking for an alternative to your plain old garlic bread? Try this Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Bread. It has a crispy outside from the baked cheese and a soft and slightly chewy inside that is irresistible. Jude helped me make this tonight as our side to a giant pot of garlicky steamed mussels. What a treat!

Jolly Rancher Lollipops

My Joel is a Jolly Rancher junkie. He can't get enough of them. When I saw a recent Facebook post by Family Fun Magazine for Jolly Rancher Lollipops, I had to try to make them. Take a peek how I made these tasty treats!

Chocolate Cola Cupcakes with Very Vanilla Frosting

I made these cupcakes for our favorite babysitter's birthday last week. They are some of the moistest and most chocolaty cupcakes you will ever eat! The recipe makes 24 delicious and terribly addictive cupcakes.

Sloppy Jose's

Spice up your next Taco Tuesday with our recipe for Sloppy Jose's. They are a cross between tacos and Sloppy Joes and they are delicious!  We serve this recipe as tacos but it is equally as good served on rolls as traditional Sloppy Joes are.  This recipe feeds quite a few people, so it is also perfect for watching the big game with family and friends.  You could always cut the recipe in half for weeknight dinners, but I prefer to make the whole recipe because the meat mixture freezes beautifully so I end up with two dinners in one.

Sweet and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are one of the best things in summer.  These are a little sweet and a little spicy. After a batch of these yummy pickles you'll be yearning for them all year round!  

Sweet and Spicy Refrigerator Pickles

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Did I tempt you yesterday on Instagram with the picture of the hot out of the oven Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins?  You know you want some!  Well now you're in luck.  The recipe is below.

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Ricotta Pancakes With Lemon Thyme Yogurt Sauce

If your like me, you have a ton of zucchinis from your garden. And as I have stated in the past, I always have leftover ricotta cheese. That along with my bid to eat healthier with less carbohydrates, led me to create this yummy recipe. As an added bonus it is perfect for those meatless nights or vegetarians.  

Zucchini Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Thyme Yogurt Sauce

Blueberry Banana Blast

Looking for a recipe to use all those blueberries your going to pick?  Here's a great way to start the day!

Blueberry Banana Blast

Lean Green Breakfast Smoothie

So I recently got a new blender (more to come on that) and now I am in love with smoothies again. This one is the perfect start to the morning.  It is a little sweet but yet balanced with protein to keep you going.

Lean Green Breakfast Smoothie

Monkey Chip Muffins

So I am updating the site a little and trying to make things more uniform and more easily accessible. You will see small changes throughout the site the most prevalent changes will be on the What's for Dinner page. With these changes I thought I would repost one of my favorite recipes, Monkey Chip Muffins. These are the perfectly balanced banana chocolate chip muffins will satisfy any sweet craving and having coming back for more!

Monkey Chip Muffins

Lemon Honey Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Compote

If your like me, when you go shopping and are faced with two sizes of an item, you go for the bigger of the two thinking to yourself, "I just want to make sure I have enough." This is exactly what I do every time I make lasagna. I buy the bigger container of the ricotta cheese and then after I'm done making the lasagna, I have the same realization that I had the hundred other times I made the recipe. What am I going to do with the extra ricotta cheese?

Have Apples? Make Apple Sauce!

Whether you serve it next to the classic pork chop, stir it into oat meal or eat it straight out of the bowl watching television, life's good when you have homemade apple sauce.  It is so simple to make. Try this recipe and you'll never want it from a jar again.

Apple Sauce

Cheesy Mini Corn Dogs Muffins

Just added a new recipe to What's for Dinner Page, cheesy mini corn dog muffins. These are tasty bite size treats perfect for lunchtime or anytime. Pinterest was my inspiration and as you can see and then I put my own twist on them.

Cheesy Mini Corn Dogs Muffins

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Bake Time: 8-12 minutes

Yields: 12

(Makes the perfect number for my small boys but you may want to double the recipe)

Cheddar and Bacon Breakfast Biscuits

Cheddar and Bacon Breakfast Biscuits

Prep time 10-15 minutes
Bake Time 8-10 minutes
Total Time 18-25 minutes

Yields: 12 Biscuits

Ingredients:

Biscuits:
2 ½ cups biscuit mix*
1/3 cup plain yogurt (We use 0% fat Greek style)
2/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup precooked bacon, chopped- about 8 slices (We like to use nitrate free bacon)
1 tsp course ground black pepper

Topping:
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp garlic powder

Biscuit Mix:
* If you do not have biscuit mix no worries you can make your own. (We like this version because
it uses vegetable oil vs. shortening)
Ingredients:
5 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup baking powder
1 TBSP white sugar
1 tsp salt
½ cup & 2 TBSP vegetable oil

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add oil and thoroughly mix all the
ingredients together. (It should have a lumpy consistency). Store mixture in an airtight container
in a cool dry place and it will keep for about three months.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter, oil or cooking spray- or
you can use parchment paper to cover which is what we prefer.

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients and stir gently but completely. Mixture may appear
slightly crumbly but this is normal. Using a spoon, portion out 12 golf ball sized biscuits and place
on baking tray. Then pat the biscuits slightly with palm of your hand.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until light brown.

While biscuits are baking combine melted butter and garlic powder to make topping. When
biscuits are light brown remove from oven and immediately brush with garlic butter topping.
Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!