Mini Strawberry and Cream Cheese Pies

These are the perfect Valentine's dessert, or for any date night! These are quick, very easy to make, and they don't cost much to make at all! We loved these, the crust was sweet, buttery and flaky. The inside was full of flavor and so sweet and delicious! This idea was a cross between a mini cherry pie recipe  and a old family strawberry and cream dessert recipe. It turned out wonderful!

Ingredients:

Refrigerated Pie Dough 

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup of Sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 can of Strawberry Pie Filling

3 tbsp of butter, melted

Directions:

1. Using the softened cream cheese, mix the cream cheese and 1/4 cup of sugar. 

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and cut out some heart shapes (or any shape) using a cookie cutter. I made about 3 pies with one sheet of pie dough, it all depends on the size of your cookie cutter. You will need 2 shapes for each pie!

4. Place 1 tsp of the cream cheese into the center of one side of the pie dough. Don't use too much because the pie will break. 

5. Place 1 tsp of the strawberry pie filling on top of the cream cheese.

6. Place the second layer of pie dough on top and secure it by pressing the ends together with a fork

7. Using your melted butter, brush the butter on the tops of the pies, and then sprinkle with the last of the sugar.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes

Enjoy! :)

Source: stockpilingmoms.com

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Our house has been obsessed lately with Philly Cheese Steak, so we decided to try our hand at a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. This is definitely a man pleasing meal, the boyfriend raved about these! This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 small Yellow Onion, diced

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce

1 cup of Beef Stock

Hamburger Buns or Sandwich Bread

1 Tbsp of Butter, plus more for toasting

Salt and Pepper 

1 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Shredded Provolone Cheese

Directions:

1. In a skillet, brown the ground beef, then rinse and drain.

2. In the pan with the ground beef, add the olive oil, onion and pepper.

3. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the steak sauce and beef stock, cook until there is only a small amount of liquid in it. 

5. While the beef mixture is cooking, butter one side of the buns or bread and place on a stove top frying pan. 

6. Melt the butter in a medium skillet on medium-high heat

7. Stir in flour and whisk for 1 minute

8. Whisk in milk and cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly

9. Remove from heat and stir in cheese

10. Assemble the Sloppy Joes! 

Enjoy! 

Photo: blogchef.ne

The Ultimate Diaper Bag Must Have List

Every mom has probably left the house sometime or another without something they needed, or been out and thought "I wish I had brought that with me.." Well, this is the ULTIMATE diaper bag must have list. There are 2 lists, one for younger babies (newborn - about 6 months) and older babies (6 months - about 18 months).

Must Haves:

• Change of Clothes: you never know when your baby will spit up, throw up, or leak through their diaper.
• Jacket: especially during the transitions from warm to cold weather, just in case it get colder when your out.
• Hat: especially for newborns and in colder weather.
• Socks or Shoes
• Diapers 
• Wipes
• Changing Pad: this will come with most diaper bags, this is a must for changing a baby anywhere outside or the house, and you would be surprised the places that don't have changing tables!
• Blanket: very useful for younger babies, I always covered them up in the car during cold weather.
• Swaddle Blanket or Car Seat Cover: if your baby likes to be swaddled, this is a must, but it can also be used a car seat cover for the carry out car seats, a must when its windy or rainy and it helps baby to sleep when you go out. 
• Breast Milk or Formula Bottle: you might even need more than one!
• Bib
• Burp Cloth
• Pacifier
• Pacifier Wipes
• Pacifier Case
• Pacifier Clip
• Mom's Wallet or Clutch: this is a must if you don't carry a purse, that when you can pull out your items and leave the babies with them when you have to leave them for work or any other reason.
• Pen: need to sign a receipt or mark something down? Make sure you bring a pen, it will come in handy one day.
• Child's Insurance Card: ALWAYS leave this with the child, that way whoever is watching the baby will have their insurance information.
• Camera: you never know when they will do the cutest things!
• Emergency Formula Packets: this is a must for newborn babies! They sell 2 oz pre-made bottles (they gave me some with disposable nipples in the hospital) and a 4 oz pack of formula. I packed these as emergency packets, you may be out longer than expected or the baby will eat more than you thought, be prepared. The pre-made bottles can be used right after opening and all you will need is a bottle of water to make the packets. Trust me, this saved me so many times!
• Q-tips: one of those you never know when you are going to need items.
• Gas Drops: especially for younger babies who get gas a lot, keep your little one comfortable!
• Teething Medicine: whether it be teething pills, gum ointment, or the gum finger brush. Teething babies will get very fussy! Some people carry wash cloths and keep it cold and wet for the baby to chew on. 
• Diaper Rash Cream: keep baby comfy, diaper rashes will come up at any moment. You can even buy smaller travel size containers or carry a sample for a small "just in case item".
• Hand Sanitizer: a definite during cold and flu season!
• Diaper Bags: when baby has diarrhea or a horrible smelling diaper, put the diaper or clothes in these bags and keep the smell locked up and your bag clean! You could also use these for when baby spits or throws up, or for dirty bibs.
• Tissues
• Teething Toys: some even come in carrying cases to keep them clean.
• A Variety of Age Appropriate Toys: for this age try the car seat toys, toys they can hold, teething toys and things with mirrors on them!

Must Haves:

• Change of Clothes: you never know when your baby will spit up, throw up, or leak through their diaper.
• Jacket: especially during the transitions from warm to cold weather, just in case it get colder when your out.
• Shoes
• Diapers 
• Wipes
• Changing Pad: this will come with most diaper bags, this is a must for changing a baby anywhere outside or the house, and you would be surprised the places that don't have changing tables!
• Breast Milk or Formula Bottle: you might even need more than one!
• Sippy Cup with Juice or Water
• Baby Food: Now they make these awesome packets that make it easy to feed a baby when your out!
• Snacks: this is a must for me! My baby loves the Gerber Puffs, Lil' Crunchies, and Yogurt Bites. Perfect for snack time.  
• Non-slip Rubber Tray for Tables: this is so helpful when baby begins to pick up food or snacks, so when you go out you can lay the tray down for them to eat their food off of.
• Spoon
• Plate: a necessity for when you began to give your baby some table food. They make slip mats that attach to plates so they baby can't move the plate and throw their food! 
• Food Catcher Bib: love these! They wash off so easily! 
• Pacifier
• Pacifier Wipes
• Pacifier Case
• Pacifier Clip
• Mom's Wallet or Clutch: this is a must if you don't carry a purse, that when you can pull out your items and leave the babies with them when you have to leave them for work or any other reason.
• Pen: need to sign a receipt or mark something down? Make sure you bring a pen, it will come in handy one day.
• Child's Insurance Card: ALWAYS leave this with the child, that way whoever is watching the baby will have their insurance information.
• Camera: you never know when they will do the cutest things!
• Emergency Formula Packets: this is a must for newborn babies! They sell 2 oz pre-made bottles (they gave me some with disposable nipples in the hospital) and a 4 oz pack of formula. I packed these as emergency packets, you may be out longer than expected or the baby will eat more than you thought, be prepared. The premade bottles can be used right after opening and all you will need is a bottle of water to make the packets. Trust me, this saved me so many times!
• Q-tips: one of those you never know when you are going to need items.
• Gas Drops: especially for younger babies who get gas a lot, keep your little one comfortable!
• Diaper Rash Cream: keep baby comfy, diaper rashes will come up at any moment. You can even buy smaller travel size containers or carry a sample for a small "just in case item".
• Hand Sanitizer: a definite during cold and flu season!
• Diaper Bags: when baby has diarrhea or a horrible smelling diaper, put the diaper or clothes in these bags and keep the smell locked up and your bag clean! You could also use these for when baby spits or throws up, or for dirty bibs.
• Tissues
• A Variety of Age Appropriate Toys: for this age try books, toys that play music or lights up, stuffed animals, and other small interactive toys.

Hope this helps! 

Caramel Apple Dip

Caramel Apple Dip

This is so easy to make, it is only 5 ingredients. It is very quick to make. Everyone loves this dip! 

Ingredients:

8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

1/4 cup of Powdered Sugar

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1/2 - 2/3 cup of Hershey's SKOR candy bites

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together with a mixer. Serve with Granny Smith Apples for dipping

Enjoy :)

Strawberry Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these cupcakes and a smash cake for my daughters 1st birthday. The cake recipe is the Paula Deen's, but I used a different frosting to make it lighter for her birthday. The frosting ended up melting, but I still think they look good! 

Ingredients:

For Strawberry Cake:

18.25 oz box of white cake mix

• 3 oz box of strawberry flavored instant gelatin
• 15 oz package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water

For Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, cold

Drops of pink food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease cake pans, or line with cupcake liners for cupcakes

3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. 

4. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. 

5. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Let cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting: 

1. Place the mixing bowl, and mixer attachments ( to use for the cold cream) in the freezer for 30 mins before making this. 

2. Beat the cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. 

3. In the bowl from the freezer, beat the heavy cream to nearly stiff peaks.

4. Add the whipped cream into the cheese mixture and quickly and briefly beat to combine. Do not over beat.

5. I added drops of pink food coloring in to make it match the party theme, this is optional. If you do use food coloring, lightly fold the frosting with a ribber spatula. 

Frost and Enjoy :)

Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cookies

I made these for my little girls 1st birthday party, and they were a huge hit! I was eating them the night before! They are soft, gooey, buttery, and taste like cake batter! :) It's a new take on the original chocolate chip cookies. I made these for a birthday party, so had the sprinkles in to make it look more festive, but you can definitely leave them out.  

Ingredients:

1 box of Butter Cake Mix

8 ox of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup of Butter, Softened

1 egg

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1 cup of Milk Chocolate Chips

1/2 of Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until they are well combined

3. Beat in the egg and the vanilla

4. Add the cake mix and beat until well combined

5. Stir in the chocolate chips and the sprinkles

6. Roll 1 tbsp of dough into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes (The top will be set, but the center will still be gooey, but they are done! Check the bottoms to make sure they are done, the bottom should be golden brown, but be careful.. they burn easy!)

8. Let cool before eating

Enjoy :)

Source: bunsinmyoven.com

7 Layer Taco Dip

I have made this twice in the last month! It is a huge hit at parties and is always the first thing to be completely gone! I highly recommend this!

Ingredients:

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 pkg of Taco Seasoning

1 container of Refried Beans

1 jar of Salsa (small)

15 oz container of Sour Cream

1 Tomato, diced

1 bag of Shredded Lettuce

2 cups of Mexican Cheese

1 bag of Tortilla Chips

Directions:

1. In a skillet, brown the beef, then drain and rinse it

2. Mix 1/2 of the taco seasoning with the meat

3. Mix the other 1/2 of the seasoning with the refried beans

4. Make the layers in order in a 9 x 13 casserole dish:

Refried Beans

Beef

Sour Cream

Salsa 

Tomato

Lettuce

Cheese

5. Serve with Tortilla Chips 

Enjoy :)

Source: allrecipes.com

Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

 

These are amazing. They take a while to make, but it is so worth it. In my house we will try any recipe with spinach, and we loved these! 

Ingredients: 

1 box of Jumbo Pasta Shells

2 cups of chopped, cooked Chicken Breast

1 box of frozen, chopped Spinach, thawed

2 cloves of minced Garlic 

15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 egg, beaten 

1 tbs of Dried Parsley Flakes

1 tsp of Italian Seasoning 

1/2 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Pepper

2 cups of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Boil shells according to the package directions. Drain them and rinse them with cool water to prevent them from sticking to each other.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the mixture.

4. Grease 2 9 x 13 baking dishes, spread 1/2 of the sauce into both pans

5. Spoon the mixture into the shells, be generous! [or use a ziplock bag with the tip cut off and pipe the filling into the shells. 

6. Lay the stuffed shells on top of the sauce

7. Very lightly top the shells with the remaining sauce

8. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 mins

9. Uncover, Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 5-10 mins [until cheese has melted]

Enjoy :)

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Baked Spasagna

This is a mix between a baked spaghetti and a lasagna. It is amazing! I wouldn't eat baked spaghetti any other way! It combines the spaghetti sauce and cheese from spaghetti, but has that layer of ricotta cheese from lasagna.

Ingredients: 

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 can of Spaghetti Sauce

8 oz of Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup of Sour Cream

15 oz Ricotta Cheese (the smaller container)

1 stick of Butter

3/4 of a box of Spaghetti Noodles

2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2. Boil the noodles according to the directions on the box, I use 3/4 of a box, because it feels like too much noodles to use a whole a box. You can use more or less if you want to. 

3. In a skillet, brown the beef, then drain and rinse it

4. Add the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the beef

5. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta cheese together

6. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, slice 1/2 of the stick of butter into thin slices and layer them on the bottom of the pan. 

7. Layer 1/2 of the noodles onto the pan (on top of the butter)

8. Spread all of the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of noodles

9. Layer the rest of the noodles

10. Use the last of the butter stick and lay thin slices of butter on top of the noodles

11. Pour the beef a spaghetti sauce mixture onto the top

12. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes

13. Take out and top with all of the cheese, bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Enjoy :)

Recipe Adapted and Photo Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Crock Pot Fajitas

These are super easy and super delicious! It makes the perfect meal for the Mexican dinner night. I usually serve these with a variety of toppings and a side of Mexican rice and refried beans. Its a great way to get the kids to eat there vegetables! 

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 large squash, sliced

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup of water

2-3 large bonless, skinless chicken breasts

1 package of fajita seasoning (or use homemade, recipe below)

Serving Suggestions:

Tortilla Shells

Shredded Lettuce

Sour Cream

Diced Tomatoes 

Mozzerella Cheese

Mexican Rice

Avocado

Refried Beans

Directions:

1. Cut up all your vegetables. [I like to slice most of them and have bigger pieces, but cut them however you like]

2. Put all of the vegetables into a crock pot

3. Pour the water in the crock pot [this will prevent the veggies from burning onto the bottom]

4. Put the chicken breasts on top [you can even put them in frozen!]

5. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on top of the chicken breasts

6. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours

7. Take the chicken breasts out, and shred them with 2 forks

8. Most of the water should have evaporated, but you can use a strainer and get the rest of the water out, if there is any left over

9. Mix the chicken back in with the veggies

10. Assemble and Enjoy :)

Homemade Fajita Seasoning:

4 tsp chili powder 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper Mix all of the ingredients together and store in a lidded container. Use 2 heaping tablespoons for the recipe above.            Photo: chellascommoncents.com

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

As the tradition in my family is, we make breakfast for birthdays and special holidays. So for Christmas I made these homemade cinnamon rolls. Oh My Goodness.. these are AMAZING. Literally, the best breakfast I have ever had. They smell amazing from the moment that you start the batter. I made them Christmas Eve night and baked them in the morning. These are so sweet and delicious that you can only make them every once and a while. But they are SO worth every calorie! And the best part.. the MAPLE GLAZE that you top it off with! Yummmm! 

These may get messy when making them, but thats ok! 

You will not be sorry you made these! Trust me! This recipe was adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Roll recipe :)

Ingredients:

For the DOUGH:

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 package of active dry yeast

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tablespoon salt

For the FILLING:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup of sugar

1/8 cup ground cinnamon

For the GLAZE:

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. maple flavoring

1/4 cup whole milk

1/8 cup butter [melted]

1/8 cup brewed coffee 

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix the milk, vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of sugar into a sauce pan

2. Heat the pan to med-high and SCALD the mixture (Heat until right before the boiling point)

3. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature for 45 mins to 1 hour

4. When the mixture is LUKEWARM or WARM, but NOT hot, stir in the active dry yeast

5. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute

6. Add 4 cups of flour and stir the mixture.

7. Cover the mixture with foil and let rise for 1 hour

8. Add 1/2 cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt to the mixture and stir

9. Sprinkle the counter surface generously with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Roll the dough out into and a thin rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick

10. Melt your butter, then brush the butter onto the top of the rolled out dough

11. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the butter

12. Sprinkle a generous portion of cinnamon on the top

13. Starting with the wide end roll the dough tightly away from you in a line to make a log shape

14. Pinch the seam to seal it

15. Spread 1 tbsp of melted butter into a 9 x 13 baking pan

16. Using a knife, cut the dough into 1 inch slices and lay them in the pan, continue until all the dough is used

[If you are making them in advance for the next morning, you can cover your dish and let them rise overnight. In the morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes and them bake them in the oven.]

17. Let rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes

18. Bake at 375° for 13-17 minutes, or until golden borwn

To Make The Glaze:

. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until smooth. The mixture will be thick, but pourable. Generously drizzle the glaze over the warm  cinnamon rolls. 

Enjoy :)

Photo: sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.jp