::Makeover Monday::

~5 Healthy Fat Busting Smoothies~

Ever since the Hubs and I got on our healthy lifestyle, we have really been into making smoothies! OK, so more so him than me, but I won't turn one down when he makes them! ;) 

I found this link to 5 delicious detox smoothies that will help you shed the belly weight and keep you healthy! I was super pumped when I saw this pin, so I thought the Hubs and I should try some of them. Gonna have to make one up tonight after his basketball game!

This pin comes from Life With Nature, and the 5 awesome smoothies are:

Silky Mango

Brain Healthy Blueberry Dream

Strong Bones Green Almonds Smoothie

Heart Healthy Choco-Raspberry Smoothie

and

Healthy Dessert in a Glass Smoothie

They all sound great, but some require almond milk, or almond butter or hazelnut butter, which I don't have, so I'll have to either improvise or go buy some! Check out these recipes and enjoy being healthy! 

::Tasty Thursday::

~Zucchini Cups~

What to do with all those garden zucchini you have? We don't have a garden (bad idea for me:) but we have very generous friends and family. I've already made a super fattening zucchini bread that is super yummy so I thought I'd better find something a bit more healthy. I found this pin when I did an actual search for zucchini recipes. This recipe comes from the blog Kalyn's Kitchen. 

All you do is cook up some meat with green peppers, onion and garlic. Then add some tomato sauce, hollow out your zucchini, add your meat and top with cheese. This was so delicious, and the family loved it!

Here is a picture of Kalyn's zucchini cups, I forgot to take a picture of ours before they got gobbled up! My 5 year old LOVED them!

Thanks Kalyn for the great recipe, can't wait to try out some more recipes from her blog too!

::Tasty Thursday::

I don't know about you, but summer time makes me want to make a bunch of s'more treats, all summer long! There has been an abundance of s'mores treats posted on pinterest and I seriously want to try every single one of them! A few weeks ago, we went camping with my family and we were told we couldn't have a fire! No fire!? For camping! That's absurd! But I understand why, all the fires and what not. So, we had to find a s'mores treat that we could all enjoy so we felt like it was true camping.

I found this super yummy s'mores bar treat and my Mom made them to share with everyone! They turned out super yummy and so good. They would have been better right out of the oven, so they were all gooey, but still good served hard right from the fridge! Everyone loved them and they were gone so fast! Something we may have to whip up in the middle of winter to remember our fun summer days and nights!

This recipe comes from Endless Simmer, and from the looks of there awesome blog they post a LOT of comfort food. I can't wait to try some of their other recipes, like their cast iron snuggle food, and their smackaroons! They both look delicious! Here is a pic from their website of their bars (since, I again did not get a pic) 

::Makeover Monday::

~Spaghetti Squash~

I'm on a new "try new things" kick! We recently decided to get a Bountiful Basket and see how we like it. I have NEVER liked cherries in all my life and I tried to get my 5 year old to try one, so I ate one to show her they could be good, and guess what?? They really are! Ha ha. We also got a cabbage, which I have never liked and don't even know what to make with a cabbage (besides coleslaw, which the Hubs does not like!) So I went online and found a Cabbage Stew recipe, didn't turn out so good, but it was really healthy! 

That takes me to Spaghetti Squash. We did not get one in our basket, but I've been seeing a lot of pins on Pinterest for recipes that use spaghetti squash. I am excited to try it out, since it is a healthy alternative to pasta (which I LOVE!) I found this pin with 7 different ways to cook up your spaghetti squash, and I'm so excited to get one and try these out! This pin comes from none other than Martha Stewart, and the first recipe on there sounds amazing, Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Herbs. Look at how yummy this looks:

Go check out the rest of the recipes, they all look so good. I think I might have to pick up a spaghetti squash at the store today! Yum!

::Tasty Thursday::

~Campfire Treat Cones~

Last week, we went on a family camping trip. It was so much fun, and I was actually excited about it (which is big for me, because I don't like camping.) We were able to borrow our friends trailer, so it made it so much more enjoyable for me. In the preparation stages of getting ready to go camping, I thought I'd put some of the fun camping recipes into use that I had found on pinterest. 

When I saw this pin, I knew we had to try it, camping or not! I was so excited to get these babies in the fire and see how good they turned out. They did not disappoint, they were fabulous, and an excellent twist on plain old s'mores. This idea came from Kids Activity Blog, by the Quirky Mommas. They used waffle cones, which I couldn't find at the store I went to, so I got sugar cones and they worked great, just a little too small. Next time we'll for sure use waffle cones so we can stuff more ingredients inside. We did this the second night we were camping, and then pulled them out again the third night when The Hubs Bro and family came up. We even experimented with different fillings, I had a vanilla chex mix that I think The Hubs and his Bro tried out, my little 5 year old only wanted marshmallows and chocolate chips, and I wanted the works-strawberries, bananas, chocolate chips, and marshmallows! They were delicious and gooey and really fun! Thanks Rachel for the fun idea!

**I just realized we didn't take any pics of us making our treat cones :( I totally thought I had, go check out The Kids Activity Blog to see their pics!**

::Tasty Thursday::

~Buttermilk Syrup~

I saw this pin about a week ago, and knew I had to try this out. My daughter's birthday party is today, and we are having a pajama party. We decided to serve pancakes, her favorite, for dinner. I didn't want plain old maple syrup, how boring, and when I saw this recipe I was so excited to try it. This comes from Chef in Training, and Nikki posted this recipe with her Grandmother's buttermilk pancakes recipe. I love when people are willing to share family recipes, it just makes the world a better place!

We are going to add some food coloring to our syrup to make it fun and festive for the party! Can't wait to try it out! Thanks Nikki for the great recipe and being so willing to share it!

::Tasty Thursday::

~Grilled Cheese Rolls~

Around our house, grilled cheese and tomato soup is a staple! We have it almost once a week. (Well, not as much as that since the lifestyle change) but still a lot. I saw these Grilled Cheese Rolls from Care's Kitchen on Pinterest, and thought I'd give them a whirl. I thought they were super yummy, and extra cheesy, but my Izzie was a little weirded out by them. This coming from the girl who wants a different shaped sandwich every time I make her one!

They are super easy to make, and are perfect for dipping in your favorite tomato soup. Go check out Care's Kitchen for the great tutorial on how to make these delicious bad boys! Thanks Carolyn for sharing this great idea! Love it. Here is a pic of Carolyn's grilled cheese rolls for your drooling pleasure:

::Tasty Thursday::

~4th O' July Cake Pops~

My little girls birthday is coming up soon, so for my family's 4th of July party I volunteered to make cake pops so I could practice! I found this idea on Pinterest and knew I had to try them out! Firecracker cookies from Lizard & Ladybug. All Staci did was combine poprocks with sprinkles! I saw this pin and thought it would be so fun to put that mixture on cake pops! What a fun party treat! Here is my finished product:

I used a white cake with cream cheese frosting and dyed my almond bark blue! I love the way they turned out and they were pretty good too! Fun 4th of July treat for the family!

::Tasty Thursday::

~Brazilian Dinner~

The Hubs served his mission in Sao Paulo Brazil and loves Brazilian food. So when I asked him what he wanted for dinner on Father's Day he said Brazilian food. Our Best Bites is an amazing recipe blog, and they have a few Brazilian recipes on there too. The very first time I used pinterest, I went on their website to pin some of my favorite recipes I've used and loved. One of those is their Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls~or for you Portuguese speaking peeps Pao de Queijo! These are a favorite in our family, and the Hubs really loves them. He remembers buying them off street vendors everyday and loved it! 

Another recipe I found on Our Best Bites was their Quick and Easy Black Beans, another Brazilian dish that needed to be added to the menu. We added ham to our Black Beans and they turned out fabulous. 

One last recipe that needed to be added to our meal, that is another favorite of the Hubs was their Brazilian Lemonade. It turned out so good and he was so happy with the dinner. Now, I have a confession to make. I'm not the best cook, and I don't manage my time good at all in the kitchen, so the Hubs did help out. He handled the Steak, Beans, and Rice while I did the Lemonade and Pao de Queijo. It turned out great and I think we are going to need to make this meal again soon. (Quick side note, my eggs were old that is why my Pao de Queijo has sunk in the middle! Also, make sure to use Tapioca Flour in these rolls!)

Sara from Our Best Bites is the master mind behind the Brazilian food, and if you are worried about it being authentic, don't be. She lived in Brazil and learned how to make these recipes from Brazilians. So there ya go, super authentic and super delicious. Thanks for sharing these great recipes with us Sara.

::Tasty Thursday::

~Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats~

I love treats! It's the one thing that I've had a hard time with while being on the lifestyle change. I keep seeing so many different pins on Pinterest for so many fantastic looking treats, and I pin them with the intent to make them, but then realize I can't eat them. Guess I'll still make them, but give them away, heads up neighbors! I'll just have to keep 1 or 2 for us to try! 

Today's treat comes from Sweet Treats and More. Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats! I mean come on, don't these sound delicious? Well, they are! Kristy came up with this yummy treat and I love it! I decided to make it for the Father's Day picnic we had with my husbands family last weekend. I needed a bigger pan of the treat than what Kristy made, so instead of following her recipe exactly which was made in an 8x8 pan, I just made up a batch of Rice Krispies to fit into a 9x13 pan. I used half of a round Angel Food Cake, cut into little pieces instead of just a cup. I liked this recipe because it can easily be adjusted to accommodate the amount you need. I used real whipping cream (I don't love cool whip or the spray can kind, I love the real stuff!) and just added the cut up strawberries, nothing added to them. They were so delicious and a fun twist on Strawberry Shortcake. 

Thanks Kristy for the super fun and easy recipe!

::Tasty Thursday::

Tasty Thursday is going to be my nemesis! The Hubs and I started a 'lifestyle change' at the beginning of March to get into better shape, lose weight, and eat more healthy! I can already tell this might not be the best idea, maybe if I try to do the majority of delicious, healthy recipes I find on Pinterest, but the problem with that is there are so many delicious looking treats, snacks, desserts, and all super high in fat and goodness I'm sure! But, alas I have to do some yummy treats sometimes too! My body demands the sweet goodness that is chocolate and peanut butter! And it was with this combination in mind that I made some yummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats. I originally made them for a church function I had planned on going to, so they wouldn't be left in the house and consumed by us! But, something came up and I couldn't go, and we were STUCK with these delicious treats! YES! I mean, NO! 

I found these treats from Martha Stewart, of course! They were so easy and quick to make, and I love that they turned out so soft and chewy, even into the next day! In hind sight, I really should have added some chocolate because that really would have made them so much better. Next time! Enjoy!

:: Happy St. Patty's Day::

Top of the mornin' to ya! I made these fun rainbow pancakes this morning, after finding the idea on Sumo's Sweet Stuff

I also served up some "golden" orange slices to go with our rainbow!

I love how colorful they turned out, don't you?

What's for dinner?

I found this blog that I love for recipes. It's Or So She Says... They create their own versions of restaraunt meals and share the recipe on their site. Please go here to see the rest of their blog. I loved this recipe and it was so easy. I didn't have enough potatoes to make the garlic mashed potatoes for the side dish, but I'm sure they are wonderful too. FYI: The honey mustard recipe makes a lot so you can save it for another dish or just cut it in half.

Smothered Chicken


4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Garlic powder and seasoned salt to taste
1 T. vegetable oil
8 oz. button mushrooms, cut in half or quarters
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese blend
½ c. chopped green onions
½ c. real bacon bits (real bacon works best and tastes the best)
½ c. tomatoes
1 bottle BBQ sauce


Flatten chicken breasts to ¼ in. thick (or just cut chicken breasts in half horizontally). Sprinkle with seasonings. In a skillet, brown chicken in oil for 4 min., or until mostly cooked through (you could also grill them if that is easier) In a separate pan saute cut up bacon until crispy. Drain the excess grease. Add mushrooms to the bacon and cook until mushrooms are soft. Place chicken breasts on a cookie sheet or in a 9x13 pan. Squeeze a generous amount of bbq sauce on top of each chicken breast. Top the chicken with the mushroom and bacon mixture. Sprinkle the cheese all over the tops of the chicken breasts. Cover and cook until chicken is done and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. When chicken is finished, top the chicken breasts with the fresh tomatoes and green onions. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and honey mustard sauce.





Honey Mustard Sauce


1 c. mayo (can use fat free or low fat)
3/4 c. Dijon mustard
¼-1/2 c. honey
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 T. Lime juice
1 tsp. Ginger powder


Mix. Add extra honey or lime for desired flavor.


Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes


5 lb. russet potatoes (or red potatoes)
½-1 whole 16oz. tub sour cream (depending on how much moisture you need in your potatoes)
1 cube butter
8 oz. half & half or milk
Fresh or dried Parsley
1 clove garlic
Salt & Pepper
½ c. Parmesan cheese (optional)


Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Boil water and add potato chunks. Boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain majority of water from potatoes. Mash potatoes with either an electric mixer or potato masher. Add whipping cream, butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, pepper & Parmesan cheese.