Bubble Gum Cupcakes!

I found these here...cookiesandcups.com/blow-pop-cupcakes. (If this link doesn't work, you can access Cookie and Cups by clicking the link on the right side of my screen).  I made them for the Bingo/Bake Sale night at our school!  The icing tastes just like Bubble Gum!  Like the blogger at Cookies and Cups, I made my own Buttercream frosting!!  Here is the recipe I used:

Bubble Gum Buttercream
1/2 C. Crisco Vegetable Shortening
1/2 C. Butter, softened
3-4 C. Confectioners Sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
3 Tbsp. Milk
1 Packet of Duncan Hines Bubble Gum Mix In Flavoring (for icing)
Combine Crisco and Butter until combined.  Add sugar - starting on low speed until combined and then to medium speed.  Add vanilla and milk and mix on high speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add flavor packet and mix on high speed for another minute or so; until well incorporated.

HAPPY EATING!

Chicken "Fried Rice"...

I have been overwhelmingly busy lately!  As we all are I am sure.  Tonight and tomorrow we have NOTHING on our schedules - it makes me feel like I am forgetting something.  So, if I am to be doing something with you ~ well, I will just apologize now, because I forgot. 

Who would have thought that chopped up cauliflower would taste like fried rice?  Really, I am not kidding, you have to believe me! I didn't believe it when I saw it, but I believe it now.    I found this recipe on Pinterest and made a few adaptions to use what I had on hand!


Process cauliflower until it resembles the size of rice...
















Who would have guessed...fried rice!

Go ahead, give it a try - it is easy!

CHICKEN FRIED RICE
1 lb. Ground Chicken
1 Large Head of Broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 Bag of Frozen Peas and Carrots
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
3 Eggs
Lite Asian Sesame Dressing (Ken's is my favorite choice)
DIRECTIONS:  Place chicken in a bowl and drizzle approx. 1/4 C. dressing.  Sit at room temp. for 30 minutes.  Place 1/2 of cauliflower in a food processor.  Pulse about 15 times; until cauliflower resembles size of rice (see picture above).  Process the other 1/2 of the cauliflower.  Heat large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Coat with cooking spray and brown ground chicken.  Cook until no longer pink.  Remove from pan.  Add cauliflower and 1/2 C. dressing.  Toss in pan until coated with dressing and hot.  Make a well in center of cauliflower and add eggs-scramble and then toss with cauliflower.  Add peas, carrots and onion.  Cook until veggies are tender.  Add chicken and toss until dish is heated through.  Enjoy!!

HAPPY EATING!

Crock Pot Chicken Azteca!

This is Chicken Azteca!  Unbelievably, my kids wolfed it down and asked for more.  I realize that I really am blessed to have good eaters to begin with but when they both ask for more, I make a mental note that I should make this again!  I figure if they loved it that much it must be blog worthy.

I needed something quick and easy.  Wednesdays  are typically a busier day because of work and helping in Riley's class in the afternoon, I don't get home to start prepping a meal - that equals leftovers or crockpot cookery!


Crock pot cookery it was for us this week!  This recipe is so super easy you won't believe it!  Here goes...

Chicken Azteca - Serves 6
1 15oz. Can Black Beans - drained
2 Cups Frozen Corn
1 Garlic Clove, minced (I used 1 Tbsp. of Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic)
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 Cup Salsa (Kirkland Brand Organic)
3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (frozen)
1 8 oz. Pkg. Low Fat Cream Cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Black Olives
Cooked Rice
DIRECTIONS:  Place beans, garlic, corn cumin and 1/2 the salsa on the bottom of the crock pot.  Place frozen chicken breasts over the top.  Pour remaining salsa over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  (If your chicken is thawed - you only need to cook for 4-6 hours).  After cooking time is up, remove chicken and cut or shred into small pieces.  Return to the crock pot.  Stir in cream cheese.  Cook on high until the cream cheese melts (maybe 10 minutes).  Spoon your chicken mixture over the rice and tope with shredded cheese, black olives, sour cream - really any topping you would like!

HAPPY EATING!

Easter Sugar Cookies!

Sorry I have been missing!  My computer caught a virus and had to be sent to the repair shop, so for a whole week I have been without my computer!

So, these cookies are absolutely, hands down the best cookies!  They are a sour cream sugar cookie topped with a brown butter icing!  They may not be the healthiest for you, but when eating cookies - who is really concerned about being healthy? Not me!

Here is the recipe:


Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
1/2 C. Shortening (I used butter)
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C. Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 3/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
DIRECTIONS:  Cream shortening, eggs & sugar together.  Once combined, add sour cream and vanilla.  Mix.  Add dry ingredients.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the fridge.  Once chilled, preheat oven to 350.  Drop by tablespoon on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.  Keep remaining dough covered and in fridge while other cookies are baking.  When cool, spread with brown butter icing.

Brown Butter Icing
8 Tbsp. butter, browned (to brown butter, melt over low-medium heat; continue heating until the butter starts turning a light brown color)
4 C. Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
4 Tbsp. Milk
DIRECTIONS:  Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix until smooth.

HAPPY EATING!

Skinny Caramel Frappucino = Happy!

Coffee + Ice = Happiness!  This is a lightened up version of the calorie and fat laden drink served up at a popular coffee shop.  Actually, it is a drink that is really served up at most coffee houses....but now you can enjoy it guilt free! 

This is what you will need to make your yummy frappucino!

This is what the finished version looks like~

Skinny Caramel Frappucino! (Serves 2)

4 C. Ice

1 C. 1% Milk

2 C. Strongly brewed coffee, cooled

1 Tbsp. Sugar (can add more to taste)

1 Big squeeze Fat Free Caramel Sauce + a little drizzle for the top

Light Whipped Cream

DIRECTIONS:  Combine all ingred. (except whipped cream) in a blender.  Blend.  Pour into a large cup, top with whipped cream and a little drizzle of caramel sauce. Sit back, enjoy!

HAPPY EATING!

Enchilada Bake!

I am so thankful for friends with birthdays!  Tonight I get to head out to Checker's Bistro with my dear friend Kristen who celebrated a birthday last week!!  Before heading out though I made this enchilada bake!  It was incredibly easy to put together, I am not kidding!  You should try it - I bet your family will love it!!

Enchilada Bake
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Can Mild Rotel Tomatoes w/ Green Chiles
1 (8oz) Can Tomato Sauce
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Corn, undrained
2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Dried Minced Garlic (I used Tastefully Simple)
1/2 tsp. Oregano
2 Green Onion, sliced
2 C. Shredded Cheese
6 Flour Tortillas
DIRECTIONS:  Brown ground turkey.  Add
all ingredients, EXCEPT cheese and tortillas.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low-medium and simmer for 5 minutes.  Spray a 9x13 with cooking spray.  Add 1/2 C. of the ground turkey mix.  Layer 3 tortillas, overlapping if necessary.  Top with 1/2 the remaining meat mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/2 the cheese.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle with green onion.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Serve with low fat sour cream.

**Cooks note:  I used fresh corn that I had frozen from the summer**

HAPPY EATING!

Weight Watchin' Crab Rangoon!

Last night was Monday and with Monday comes The Bachelor!  I know, I know ~ don't judge!  I am a sap for romance and well, the drama does keep my attention because I wonder how people can act like that and still feel good about themselves!  Plus, it is a good excuse for friends to gather!

Last night I hosted and because we are all trying to be good about our eating habits I made these tasty little pockets of ooey, gooey crab!  They taste sinful, but really are not!  You can have 2 of them for only 2 WW points.

Baked Crab Rangoon
3 oz. 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese, softened
4 oz. Crab meat
1 Green Onion, sliced
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 tsp. Garlic Salt
12 Won Ton Wrappers
DIRECTIONS:  Combine all ingredients (except won-ton wrappers) in a small mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Place won ton wrappers on baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray) and spoon 2 tsp. of filling in center of each wrapper.  Bring corners up to meet and lightly dampen fingers to make the corners stick together.  Bake at 425 for approx. 10 minutes.
HAPPY EATING!!