Yummy Pancakes...

My Momma makes some good pancakes. I asked her for the recipe and the problem is...she doesn't measure anything. I have to measure EVERYTHING or it just doesn't turn out. I was craving pancakes, a month or so ago, and got online and pulled up a thousand recipes. I decided that this one looked the easiest and this is the recipe I've used ever since! I wish now, that I would have written down the website, so I could give them credit for these yummy pancakes. I have made these several times and they always turn out and are always DE-LISH!

So here's the recipe! Just click on the pic and it will make it large enough to read. :)



These are things that you always have on hand...


Would you like some pancakes with that butter!? :)


Enjoy!

Jill

Cheesy Black Bean Dip...

I have to thank Heather over at Life at Sonic Speed for sharing this yumminess with me! I made it a few nights ago, for Alex and I to try...we ate the entire pan! (in our defense, it was all we had for dinner) :) I'm making it again, tonight, for our homegroup.

The recipe is easy...only 4 ingredients!
Cream Cheese
Rotel
Black Beans
Shredded Cheese

Take the above ingredients and layer them in the order listed. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 mins, just to warm through. Serve with tortilla chips.

Delicious!!

Gobble, Gobble...

We're preparing for Journey Thanksgiving which is tomorrow evening. This is our first big holiday meal as a church, so needless to say...we're excited! I'm making all of the dressing, so come tomorrow morning, my kitchen will smell like Thanksgiving! I'm making my Mom's crockpot dressing (4 crockpots to be exact) and it's SO GOOD. It's easy too, so if you've never made dressing, try this recipe...you won't be disappointed!

Crockpot Dressing

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery

3 slices of bread

3 biscuits

2 tsp. sage

1 can chicken broth

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 (9 inch) pan of cornbread

1 sleeve saltine crackers

4 cups chicken broth (from your cooked chicken)

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3-4 cups cooked chicken

Directions:

Saute celery & onion in butter.

Crumble breads (bread, biscuits, crackers, cornbread) & mix together.

Pour celery & onion mixture over breads.

Add sage, salt & pepper.

Beat eggs with chicken broth - add to bread mixture.

Add baking powder & remaining broth.

Add chicken and lightly ladle mixture into crockpot (spray crockpot w/Pam)

Cook 1 hour on high and then 4-6 hours on low. DO NOT STIR.

Don't be alarmed that it seems 'runny' when you first put it into the crockpot, it will set up nicely and all of the liquid is what keeps it nice and moist.

*If by chance, you don't have enough chicken broth from your cooked chicken - just substitute canned chicken broth*

I know it sounds like a LONG recipe but I cook my chicken, cornbread, biscuits and chop onion and celery the night before, so really all you have to do is mix everything together and put it into the crockpot the next morning. It's nice because you just put it in and let it cook all day!

Looking forward to my first of three Thanksgiving meals, tomorrow night! :)

Love to all,

Jill

Apple Pie...

My M-I-L had surgery last week, so our church has been taking her meals while she recovers. She is doing well...just needs to take it easy, so she can heal. Linda, if you're reading this...no meetings for the rest of the week, stay in bed. Daughter-in-laws orders! Tonight was my night to cook for her, so I took chicken enchiladas, spanish rice, salsa & chips and an apple pie for dessert. I went ahead and made extra for Alex to have for dinner and since apple pie is his favorite, I made him a pie as well. I'm going for daughter-in-law & wife of the year. ;)

Several months back, I bought these little pie crust cutters at Williams Sonoma (love that store!) I've been saving them for fall/thanksgiving and figured there's no better time to use them than for my sweet M-I-L. Take a look at the finished product below...I was so pleased! Now I want to go and see if they have Christmas ones as well!

My Mom started making this pie over a year ago and at first I refused to eat it because #1. it was apple - have never been a fan & #2. she called it Sugar-Free Apple Pie - I don't do sugar-free. After I finally gave in and tasted it, I loved it! This is the only apple pie recipe that I use now. It's called Sugar-Free Apple Pie because the only sugar in the pie are natural sugars from the 100% apple juice and apples themselves. If you choose to make your own pie crust, you can limit the amount of sugar in that as well. I do not make my own, so I guess mine isn't truly 100% natural sugars. Oh well, it's still yummy! :)



Ingredients:
4 Tbsp of corn starch
1 can of frozen apple juice
2 Pillsbury Pie Crust
4 Golden Delicious Apples

Directions:
Slice and peel your apples.
Mix Corn starch and apple juice in a saucepan on medium heat.
Whisk constantly until mixture starts to thicken.
Once it thickens, remove from heat immediately and mix with your apples.
Place apple mixture into bottom crust.
Place top crust on top of apples and prick with fork to allow steam to escape.
Brush with egg wash mixture.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 30-35 mins or until golden brown.

Love these!

Mix these together...

Until it looks like this...


Mix with your apples...

Pour into bottom crust...

Use your WS pie cutters to make the top crust...

This one was for my M-I-L ...it was so pretty! :)

This one was for Alex...not quite as decorated as M-I-L's but he was okay w/that. :)

Enjoy!

Jill

Bagels....mmmm!

Alex had men's bible study last night, so I was on my own for dinner. Instead of ordering take-out, I decided to make this yummy bagel that Emily shared with me.

Toasted wheat bagel, cream cheese, slice of tomato, sliced avacado, sprinkled with lemon pepper. If you like tomato and avacado, you should try it. I fixed a cup of tomato soup to have with it on the side.

YUM-O!!!

Love to all,

Jill

Peanut Butter Yumminess!

My sister and I were just talking about how this time of year makes us want to cook & bake constantly. I have made these twice this week...once for homegroup, the other just to surprise my hubby!

These really don't count as baking in my book because you actually use pre-made ingredients, but they are on my top 10 cookie list because you can have them made in 10 mins! That and they have a reese's peanut butter cup in the middle...how can you not love that!? Try them...I promise you'll love 'em!

Ingredients:
1 pkg of Pillsbury Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
1 pkg of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:
Roll cookie dough into balls and place in mini muffin pan.
Bake according to package instructions.
As soon as you remove them from the oven, place a peanut butter cup into the center of each one.

I usually place them in the fridge for just a couple of mins. It helps them set quickly which makes it easier to remove them from the muffin tin.

And here's what you get! Enjoy!



Have a great weekend!

Love to all,
Jill

Weekend at Wildwood...

I got up bright and early, Saturday morning, to make breakfast and coffee for Alex. This was the first weekend in a month that he didn't have to work and I was very happy about that. Out of bed at 7:15am on a Saturday...this is unheard of for me but I wanted to show my hubby some love! :)

I found a new recipe on this site that I wanted to try and they turned out so yummy! One of Alex's and my new favorites, actually. They are called Applesauce Puffs. They have the potential to be healthy but after I dipped them in butter and cinnamon sugar, all of that pontential went out the window. They were so easy and delicious that I thought I would share the recipe, incase you would like to try them as well!


Applesauce Puffs

2 cups Biscuit Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
Heat oven to 400°. Grease muffin tins.
Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and reserve.
Combine Biscuit Mix and 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl.
Add applesauce, milk, egg and oil. Beat well.
Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove muffins and dip in melted butter, then in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Yields 24 mini muffins.

Don't they look yummy!??

Saturday afternoon, we headed out to Wildwood. I LOVE it out there. I have taken my nephews and nieces to many plays and concerts out there and enjoy supporting them whenever possible. This weekend is the Wildwood Park for the Arts Harvest Festival, so we went for a little bit and enjoyed all they had to offer. Here are a few pics from the afternoon.

On beautiful Wildwood Lake

The lady asked if we were on a first date...awwww :)

They had a scarecrow contest and hung them all throughout the woods


This was the fiddling contest on the lawn...
we enjoyed the children that got up to play, very impressive!


Alex hates corn, so I had to devour this roasted corn all by myself...ah shucks! hehe

We had a very relaxing weekend...if only the HOGS would have won, that would have been the icing on the cake! :)

I'm going to see my Mom tomorrow...I'm looking forward to that. She wants to do a little shopping in Jonesboro and of course, her and Daddy always take me to eat at my favorite place up there...Sandbar Grille! I can't wait!!

Love to all,
Jill

Nieces & Nephews...

We had our niece, Victoria and nephew, Jack over this evening. They are always a hoot and keep us laughing non-stop! I decided since we had kids in the house, I should make something kid friendly for dinner. My Momma actually gave me this recipe a while back...thanks, Mom!

After dinner they wanted to do nothing more than play video games with their Uncle Alex...they have been playing for 3 hours straight! So I'm watching Grey's and blogging. It's a treat for me to just sit here with my bedroom door open and listen to their conversations. I love having kiddos in the house. :)

Pics of dinner and recipe below...click to enlarge.

Love to all!
Jill