Strawberry Muffins

I know it's not officially strawberry season, but I had some on hand and just couldn't resist making them for breakfast on Sunday. I always take the kids out to a local strawberry patch each June to pick our own strawberries. From the time they can walk, they each have their own container in hand and help pick tons of this juicy fruit. Of course they probably eat just as many as they put in the container, but who's counting?

We usually end up with around 10+ pounds and then comes my favorite part! I search through all of my recipes deciding which ones I have to make, usually realizing that I don't have near enough fruit or time to make everything on my list. Last year we made 3 trips out there and it still wasn't enough....so that made me determine I simply need to grow my own haha!


These strawberry muffins are one of my favorite to make and made a few appearances at my farmer's market booth last year. Each time they were an instant hit! They are super easy to make, you should even have all the ingredients on hand and I love that they make 2 dozen so I can stick the extras in the freezer for mornings when it's hectic. I think you'll also love the addition of the cinnamon, it's just enough for you to taste and compliments the strawberries.

It won't be long and strawberry season will be in full swing! I can't wait, if you've never taken the time to go pick your own; you need to! It's so much fun for the kids and there's nothing that beats fresh, locally grown produce; it tastes so much better!

Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients:
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. strawberries, chopped finely (although I haven't tried it, I'm sure you could use frozen strawberries as well, just thaw and drain before adding them to the batter)
1 c. vegetable or canola oil
3 eggs

Directions:
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In another bowl mix strawberries, oil and eggs. Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups (or use paper liners) 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until muffin tests done.

Makes about 24. Store leftovers in an airtight container or freeze for later use.

Maple Walnut Blondies

I apologize for being MIA the past few days. I spent Friday with my girls, we went with our 4-year-old's preschool class to see The Lorax; what a cute movie! The remainder of the weekend was spent helping our nephew celebrate his birthday and preparing for our little girl's birthday. I can't believe my baby turned 2 on Sunday! How time flies!

During our celebration on Sunday, we noticed she developed a croupy sounding cough. She seemed fine until the middle of the night when she started having difficulty breathing and was running a fever. So needless to say, we went to the doctor first thing on Monday morning. Unfortunately she caught a nasty virus that's going around and spent most of Monday and Tuesday not feeling well. I was happy to see her wake up in a much better mood this morning and feeling more like herself! It's no fun having little ones sick, especially when there's multiples. Our 4-year-old ended catching the same thing on Monday. I spent most of the last two days laying on the couch with both of them, not exactly productive.  Anyways, everyone seems to be on the mend.....now if we can just keep it that way for more than a week!

Okay, moving onto these blondies. These are said to be just like the maple walnut blondie dessert served at Applebee's, but only better. I can't really vouch for that since I've honestly never tried them, but they were pretty darn good! Really, who ever has room for dessert when you go out to eat?

I made these for dessert one night and thought they would be a good treat, especially served with ice cream. Thankfully they only made a small pan because let's be honest here, I did eat more than one. They're just as good without the ice cream and maple butter sauce served on top.

Maple Walnut Blondies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts; set aside. In a large bowl mix melted butter and brown sugar with mixer. Add in egg and vanilla, mix well. Gradually add in flour mixture and mix to combine. Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan (batter will be thick) and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. They may seem a little gooey but once they cool they will set up. Serve warm with ice cream and maple butter sauce.

For the sauce: In a bowl combine butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese and maple syrup. Blend with mixer until smooth. Heat sauce in microwave for about 30 seconds when ready to serve and pour over ice cream and blondies.

Slightly adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Chicken Penne Casserole

It's a cold, windy and just plain nasty day here in Iowa. Makes me want to curl up on the couch with a plate of this casserole. I made this last week on day where we got about 5 inches of snow, it was the perfect comfort food to warm our bodies!

You'll love this dish, it's filled with tons of hearty Italian flavors. I like it with chicken but ground beef would be good as well. Serve this along side a salad and some garlic bread and you've got a nice homecooked meal that's sure to please everyone!

Chicken Penne Casserole

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup each chopped green and red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large pan saute the chicken, peppers, garlic and seasonings in oil until chicken is no longer pink. In a food processor, puree tomatoes until no big chunks remain. Add to chicken mixture. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Drain pasta, toss with chicken mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased 11x7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Kids in the Kitchen: Bite-sized Granola Cups

I love having the girls in the kitchen with me and make a point to include them in my baking or cooking as much as possible. I want them to be filled with memories of helping mix up cookie dough, chopping up veggies and even just sitting next to me while I frost cupcakes. I've been working with our oldest daughter who's 12 and letting her cook supper more often. I'm hoping to have her start preparing 1 meal at least every other week. It's such a good skill to have for later in life, it gives them a sort of independence and studies have proven that children will tend to eat healthier when they're given the chance to help prepare what's put in front of them.

I spotted these granola cups over on Mommie Cooks and knew they would be perfect for the girls to help me make. They're just the right size for them and are perfect to serve for breakfast or snack time. Kids will love putting their own yogurt and berries on as well!

Our youngest who will be 2 this coming Sunday, loved helping stir all the ingredients together in the bowl.

Our oldest had the job of scooping the granola into the muffin tin.

All ready to eat! The 4-year old was too busy playing to help with the preparation, but she sure was a good taste-tester! I hope you're encouraged to get your children in the kitchen with you more often. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, just simply letting them sit on the counter with you and have a turn at stirring the batter is enough to make a lasting impression on them! I hope to bring you more Kids in the Kitchen recipes, most likely once or twice a month. Enjoy!


Bite-sized Granola Cups

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cook)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
In a small sauce pan add butter, honey, molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Heat until butter is melted and all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
In a large bowl combine oats, wheat germ, flax seed, almonds and cranberries. Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and stir until oats are completely coated. Place bowl in fridge for about 15 minutes to let cool a little bit.
When ready to bake, grease a muffin tin and fill each well about 2/3 full with granola. Using your fingers press into the center of each cup and then work you way around the edges to form a bowl. You may need to wet your finger a bit with water to prevent mixture from sticking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 325 for 15 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from tin. When ready to eat, fill bowls with yogurt of your choice and fresh berries. Store extras in an airtight container. Makes 12

Source: Mommie Cooks

February Book Review: The Money Saving Mom's Budget

I pre-ordered this book way back last November and couldn't wait for it to be released in January. I have been following Crystal's blog for over 2 years now and have learned so much from her. I now understand the art of couponing, how to build a better stockpile for my pantry and she's taught me what freezer cooking is and how it can help save me time and money in the kitchen, and these are just to name a few.

Being an avid follower of Money Saving Mom, I can't say that I learned a whole lot of new information from the book but it was definitely hard to put down. Crystal shares her 7 Rules for Financial Success and covers a variety of topics in her book including: setting goals and breaking them down into bite-sized pieces, clearing out the clutter in both your home and life, setting up a workable budget and of course couponing.  She doesn't sugar coat anything and that's one of the things I like about her. I also enjoyed reading about other reader's stories on how they've adapted some of Crystal's tips and improved their finances or just the quality of their lives.

This is one book I think I'll definitely hang onto for awhile and refer back to it from time to time. I absolutely loved every part of it. While I'm already implementing some of her "rules", there are a few that I'd like to take a stab at. I really like her rule for taking the cash-only challenge, especially when it comes to grocery shopping. I'm pretty good at sticking to my budget but I think if I forced myself to bring the cash with me to the store and not use my debit card, I will really think about my purchases a little more. Of course one of my goals this year is to eliminate more clutter from our house and I really liked Crystal's advice on going through your home from top to bottom twice a year in order to clear out unnecessary items. She also encourages setting up a time budget for yourself. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say this, I spend way too much time on the computer some days! It's so easy to get absorbed in reading blogs, Facebook, Pinterest and what not. One thing I'm working hard on is setting a limit on how much I'm on the computer.

I encourage all of you to read Money Saving Mom's Budget, it's filled with all sorts of good advice that will force you to take a hard look at all areas of your life, not just your finances. You'll also find worksheets at the end of the book to help you develop your own time and finance budget, set goals, list your priorities and even make your own price book for grocery shopping. This truly is an inspiring read!

Cheesy Corn and Bacon Dip

I made this dip a few weeks ago for the Super Bowl and it's become a new favorite. I spotted it on Pinterest and couldn't wait to try it out. It's the perfect dip for any sort of gathering, especially for tailgating season. You can't go wrong with lots of cheese, it surely is addicting!

I can't wait to try this again with fresh corn from the cob. Since it's not available during this time of year I used frozen corn. Don't use canned, frozen will taste so much better....trust me! It's got just enough heat from the chipotle peppers, you can certainly add more if you like it spicier. That day I had some bacon all made up so I thought why not, let's throw in a few slices. Yum, the bacon was the perfect addition to this dip! Of course the tomatoes and fresh cilantro on top were the perfect finishing touch.

Cheesy Corn and Bacon Dip

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded cheese (I used a combo of cheddar and monterey jack)
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
4 oz. can of green chiles, undrained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups frozen corn, does not have to be thawed
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 small tomato, diced
Handful of cilantro, chopped


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix cheese,chipotle peppers, green chiles, mayonnaise, garlic powder, corn and bacon all together.  Pour into a small-medium sized oven safe dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.  Top with diced tomatoes and cilantro. Serve warm with tortilla chips.


Adapted from: Gina Marie's Kitchen

Grilled BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

This has got to be one of the best meals I've made in a while. Unfortunately, my picture just doesn't capture how good these really were.....which only means: A) I will have to make them again real soon and show you a better pic or B) You need to make them for yourself!

I love pineapple, especially on pizza! I have no idea why it never occurred to me to add it on my quesadillas. It's really quite brilliant and I must say I love the addition of barbecue sauce. I'm thinking this would make a fantastic pizza as well (making a mental note of that!). There really is no exact recipe to follow, seriously add whatever ingredients to your tortilla shell and it's bound to taste wonderful. It makes for a quick dinner, lunch or even an appetizer. Here's my version, hope you enjoy!

Grilled BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sliced pineapple to grill, fresh will taste better but feel free to used canned
Flour tortilla shells, use whatever size you'd like
1 red or green pepper, chopped
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 jalapeno, sliced (optional)
Barbecue sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cilantro

Directions:
Place slices of pineapple on grill and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and set aside.
Sprinkle chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper and any other seasoning you wish such a cumin or a cajun seasoning.  Grill until both sides are done, brushing with some barbecue sauce. Remove onto a plate and slice into thin slices or just simply cut into small chunks.
To assemble take 2 flour tortillas, sprinkle grated cheese on one. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the cheese. Next, add the pineapple, jalapeno and red or green pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro. Drizzle some extra barbecue sauce over the mixture if desired. Then put the other tortilla on top.
Place on warm griddle over medium heat. Let each side brown for a few minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas are warmed.  Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa. This made about 4 good sized quesadillas.

Adapted from: Pioneer Woman