Egg Attacks

In my family growing up every Easter my parents would buy large quantities of Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs and they were lovingly referred to as "Egg Attacks". Oh the memories... Well this year I found an awesome recipe from Paula Deen for homemade chocolate covered peanut butter eggs and I had to try it. Our family had so much fun last night making these together - it is a great recipe to make with kids cause they can form the peanut butter mixture into eggs and roll them in the chocolate. I think it will become a Easter tradition. Oh, did I mention how absolutely scrumptious they are??!!!


Egg Attacks

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter flavored shortening

In a microwave safe bowl microwave brown sugar and butter in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until brown sugar is melted. (For me it took 1 minute.) Stir in powdered sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla. Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Take out of fridge and shape mixture by teaspoonfuls into egg shapes. Place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a microwave safe bowl microwave chocolate chips and butter flavored shortening in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is smooth. Let sit to cool slightly. Using the tines of 2 forks roll eggs in chocolate to coat. Place chocolate covered eggs on parchment or wax paper to dry. When dried remove eggs to an air tight container and there they can keep for a week (I dare you to try and let them last that long!!:)).

Easy Cheesy Rolls

Okay, I just tried to look for where I got this recipe and I can't find it... I know its from one of the recipe blogs that I follow and its been posted really recently. Hmmm, well just know that I did not come up with these super yummy rolls myself, but I think they are awesome!! We had them with Lentil Stew the other night and they were great!!


Easy Cheesy Rolls

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (the cheapo green can one)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 tube Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits (the big flaky ones)

In a bowl combine butter, parmesan, basil, and garlic powder. Mix shredded cheeses in a separate bowl. Remove biscuits from can and separate into individual biscuits. Flatten each biscuit with a rolling pin. Put some cheese into the center of each biscuit and fold dough around cheese pinching as you go to form a ball. Roll each ball of dough in the melted butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Makes 8 rolls.

Chicken Fajitas

I think I've been in a Mexican food mood lately. These fajitas are an easy and quick meal to whip up. My kids of course aren't huge fans of the green pepper, but oh well they just pick them out.


Chicken Fajitas

4 chicken breasts, pounded flat and cut into finger width strips
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup lime juice
1 red onion, sliced
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 teaspoon taco seasoning

Toppings:
guacamole
sour cream
shredded cheese
diced tomatoes
salsa

Pound chicken and cut into finger width strips. Heat canola oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and stir fry it until it is white all the way through. Add peppers and onions to the chicken and stir fry till tender. Sprinkle with cumin, salt, chili powder, and lime juice while vegetables are cooking. Once vegetables are tender enough (check peppers to make sure they aren't too crunchy) sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir around. Serve hot with warm tortillas and toppings of choice.

Whole Wheat Muffins

This recipe is from my friend Corinne and it is wonderful! I love good whole wheat recipes! These muffins are superb with a little butter and honey... Mmmmm....


Whole Wheat Muffins

1 egg beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (plus 2 tablespoons for high altitude)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together egg, buttermilk, brown sugar, and oil. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. For me it made 12 muffins.

Mrs. Richard's Cake

This is my hubby's favorite cake and I made it for his birthday a couple weeks ago. It's called Mrs. Richard's Cake because we always use Mrs. Richard's brand caramel sauce in it. SO good. It is an ooey gooey wonder of a cake and I hope if you've never had it that you give it a try.


Mrs. Richard's Cake

1, 9x13 chocolate cake, already baked
1/2 jar of Mrs. Richard's caramel ice cream topping
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 Skor bars or Heath bars, broken up into bits

When cake is cool, poke holes in cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Combine caramel topping with milk and pour over the cake. Top with Cool Whip. Break up candy bars and sprinkle on top of Cool Whip. Serve immediately or refrigerate - it gets ooey and gooeier the more it sits.

Crockpot Shredded Beef for Tacos

Thanks to Mommy's Kitchen for this one. I love shredded beef at Mexican restaurants and this recipe is fabulous for that restaurant taco taste at home. Everyone wants me to make these kind of tacos instead of regular old browned hamburger ones from now on. And it's a crockpot recipe!!! Yay!!


Crockpot Shredded Beef for Tacos

2 lb chuck roast
2 packets of taco seasoning mix
picante sauce
3/4 cup water

Place chuck roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle 1 packet of taco seasoning over the roast and then pour 1 cup of picante sauce over it. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove roast to a cutting board and shred meat with 2 forks (I meticulously take out all the gross fat because I'm very picky about that kind of thing). Wipe out the baked-on stuff in the crockpot and place the meat back in. Sprinkle with about 1/2 a packet of taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water and a bit more picante sauce and stir around. Let heat all the way through on high, stirring occasionally till it is hot.

Serve shredded meat in taco shells and tortillas with your favorite taco fixings - we like shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and diced tomatoes.

Chicken Salad

I had the occasion recently to have a few wonderful friends over so I made chicken salad to have on croissants. This is a recipe that I've been making for a while. Sometimes I add an additional ingredient like cashews or halved red grapes or diced kiwi just to spice it up a bit.


Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked and cubed chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
dash of onion salt

In a large bowl combine chicken, celery, green onion and eggs. In another bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour the mayo mixture over the chicken mixture and toss. Stir in any additional ingredient that you desire if you want a fancier chicken salad (like grapes, slivered almonds, diced avocado, diced dill pickle, mandarin oranges, cashews, or diced kiwi, etc. etc.). You may find that you need to add a little more mayo to give the salad the consistency you want. Serve on split croissants or in pita pockets.