Cake Mix Trick!

A caterer friend of mine passed on this tip when making cakes or cupcakes from a box:
- add 1/4 cup more oil than is called for
- add a box of instant pudding (if chocolate cake mix, then add chocolate pudding; if yellow cake mix, then add vanilla pudding - you get the gist).
- add a cup of sour cream
This ensures a deliciously moist cake every time!

BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Roll-ups

BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Pizza Roll em’ Ups
1 Roll Pillsbury Pizza dough in can (or use other pizza dough of choice)
1/4 Cup prepared ranch dressing
2 Cups prepared shredded BBQ Chicken
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 Cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
Ranch Dressing for dipping
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Open can of dough and press into rectangle. Spread or drizzle ranch dressing evenly over dough then top with evenly with chicken, cilantro and cheddar cheese. Starting at long end roll dough into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch pieces and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.

This has become one of our favorites- we make Kristin's pizza pocket dough instead of buying the dough in a can. The best way I have found to cutting them into the 1" pieces (cinnamon role style) is to get about 15" of dental floss and slide it under your rolled up dough and then cross your floss so it cuts through the dough. Call me if that was very confusing!

ENJOY!

Our Best Bites Recipes

Okay. So I am LOVING ourbestbites.blogspot.com . Check it out! Here are links to recipes I've tried and LOVED!

Almond Poppyseed Bread - 1 hour was too long. Check at 50 min. and probably done around 55 min. for 2 large loafs. I didn't have any butter flavoring and forgot the vanilla in the glaze and it still turned out delicious! Careful with the glaze---don't let it puddle. It will soak into the bread and make it all mushy.

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies - So easy, cute, and delicous!

Garlic-Herb Scalloped Potatoes - made these for Thanksgiving and were so yummy I'm making them again for Christmas dinner. (I use Boursin cheese from Costco...)

Carmelized Green Beans - Curt, cover your eyes cuz these green beans will knock the socks off ye old 'green bean casserole'. Again, made these for Thanksgiving and are on the Christmas menu as well.

Apple Crisp Recipe

4 medium tart cooking apples, sliced (4 cups) 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Cream or Ice cream, if desired Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.  This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Website. The only thing we did differently was sprinkle some vanilla, lemon juice and sugar over the apples before the topping. It was delicious, if you do too many apples it won't cook right, so make sure you do medium apples, not large ones! Enjoy!

Korean BBQ Beef Skewers

I stumbled upon the food blog, Our Best Bites {angels sing}. What a find! Real food. Real good. We LOVE a good Korean BBQ and this is the first recipe from the blog I've tried. It was FANTASTIC. Probably the best thing I've barbecued.

Check it out here.

The recipe calls for either rice wine or pear juice. I had neither on hand. After a bit of googling I discovered I could use apple juice. Turned out GREAT!

Boston Cream Pie Minis

Made these for a friend's B-Day. Fast and yummy! I used semi-sweet choco chips instead of baking chocolate and it worked just fine. Delicioso!

Boston Cream Pie Minis

HONEY MUSTARD KIELBASA & POTATOES

So I'm on a mission to make home-cooked (all the way---not just heat up) dinners. And we have all been happier and healthier. Right now, I'm just proud that I'm cooking up a storm so I'm not concerned about calories, fat and the like. And the kids don't always eat it. But they are learning....

Check out this recipe for HONEY MUSTARD POTATOES AND KIELBASA. LOVED IT and it couldn't be easier or faster. It's a beautiful thing!!