Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies

I had a couple of boxes of Funfetti cake mix in my cupboards and have been trying to come up with an excuse to open one of them up.  When I came across this recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff I knew this

would be the perfect recipe to try.  Plus it gave my 2 year old toddler something to do for a little bit.  He loves helping in the kitchen and this was perfect for those chubby little hands!!  These came out very delicious but I would definitely say they are a bit rich.  That doesn't bother me but if it does you this may not be the recipe for you.  Overall, I thought they were great and they are toddler approved too!  

Ingredients: 

1 box Funfetti cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup color sprinkles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack. They will be very soft at first but will harden as they cool even more.

Honey Pretzel Chicken Strawberry Salad

 

 

 

I know the title of this recipe is a mouth full but let me tell you don't be discouraged by the big name.

This salad is a fabulous, hit the spot, yummy meal!  We loved it in my house and this was even after my husband tells me he hates strawberries in salads as he is watching me slice them and put them in.

After he took a bite he said he took that comment back, this salad is delicious!  This salad is definitely a meal and a perfect summer time meal at that!  I found this recipe over at Half Baked Harvest please go check out this wonderful blog!

 

Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders (or 2 large breast, cut into tenders)

2 egg whites

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

 

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon pepper

 

For the Salad

2 cups tiny twist pretzels (for the honey mustard roasted pretzel-croutons)

4-6 cup bib lettuce (or a mix of lettuce and spinach)

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 large avocado, diced

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the honey, mustard, egg white and whisk well. Toss the chicken in the honey mustard and set aside. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and slice to serve in the salad.
3. While the chicken cooks combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Whisk well and adjust seasoning to taste.

     4.  In a large bowl toss the lettuce, spinach, strawberries, chicken, pretzels and avocado together.   Toss with salad dressing.

Lemon Brown-Butter cookies with lemon cream cheese frosting

 

 

First thing I want to state about these cookies is you must brown the butter!  I have never heard of this and almost passed this recipe up because lets face it I'm lazy.  However, I decided I had nothing better to do with my time (ha ha) so I thought I would give these cookies a whirl.  I am so glad I did, they were great.  And let me tell you, don't you dare skip the browning of the butter....don't even think about it.  A wonderful thing happens when you brown butter it turns into this nutty smelling goodness that makes you wonder why you aren't browning your butter for everything.  If you need help on how to brown your butter here is a link  @howsweeteats .  I found this recipe over at Bake at 350

 

 

Cookies:

1 stick butter
7 ounces plain Greek yogurt (I used Greek Gods yogurt)
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
2 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar

 

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick butter, room temperature
8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb. powdered sugar (This is about 4 cups)
zest of 1 lemon
2 TBSP lemon juice

 

Brown the butter in a small pan and put in fridge to cool and solidify.  Pre-heat oven to 350.

Stir together the yogurt, zest, and juice. Set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.  Beat the brown butter and sugar together until well combined.
Stir in the yogurt mixture. Add the flour in three additions, stirring between each until combined.The dough will be soft and resemble biscuit dough. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes for the puffiest cookies. Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto the cookie sheets.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until done. Remove from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Now the good stuff (the frosting):
With a paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
On low speed, add in half of the powdered sugar and the lemon zest. Beat until combined.
Add the other half of the sugar and the lemon juice. Beat on low until combined, then increase the speed to medium until smooth. 

 

Frost cookies.  Store in fridge.  (My husband thought these were better the second day)






Party Stromboli

 

I am such a slacker.  Seriously, I have had this recipe and picture to share with all of you since the

Superbowl.  I just kept getting side tracked I guess and never shared it.  Well today is your lucky day!  Just in time for a quick weekend meal!  I found this over at Liv Life go check her out!  This is the easiest sandwich to make and everyone absolutely loved it!

 

frozen loaf bread, thawed

1/4 lb sliced ham

1/4 lb pepperoni or salami (I used pepperoni)

3-4 slices provolone cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp melted butter

garlic salt

 

Take a frozen bread dough and thaw it.  Roll out onto a cookie sheet about 15 x 10.  Arrange ham, salami/pepperoni, sliced provolone cheese, mozzarella on the bread.  Fold in the short ends then the long ends and flip over on to sheet.  Spread a little melted butter on top and sprinkle garlic salt.  Bake in a pre-heated 375 oven for 20 minutes or until browned.  Slice into horizontal pieces. 

 



Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps

 

 

This is one of those recipes that I have had printed off for weeks maybe months and never

got around to making it.  Well I am so happy that I decided to give them a try last night!  These

are so quick and easy and yummy to boot!  These are going to be a definite keeper in our house.

Plus I had enough burger to make a few extra and freeze them which is a bonus extra meals for

the future!  I originally found this recipe over at Semi Homemade Mom.

 

 

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I used a little more to taste)

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

pepper and salt to taste

5 flour tortillas (the larger ones)

shredded cheddar cheese

sliced tomatoes

yellow mustard

 

 

Brown hamburger and drain of fat.  Add the Worcestershire, ketchup, minced onion, salt and pepper.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Put some cheese down the middle of tortilla, add a couple spoonfuls of the hamburger, top with tomato and put a little mustard down the middle.  Wrap burrito style and grill (I used my George Foreman grill).



Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 

 

Every year my aunt sends a box of lemons from her trees in California.  I look forward to her lemons because lemons in Wyoming aren't so "fresh".  I never knew lemons were so juicy until I received hers.  They are absolutely delicious.  I have been waiting patiently for this years lemons to arrive so I could make this recipe I came across on Pinterest a few months ago.  You can find the original recipe here.  These were absolutely yummy and a new favorite for my family. 

 

 

 

Ingredients:½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

 

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte, remove from oven and let cool on sheet for about 3 minutes then take off and place on cooling rack. 



Baked Parmesan Chicken

 

 

 

 

I have been meaning to post this recipe in a long time, I have made it several times and it is absolutely delicious and a healthy dinner.  I found this recipe over at the Recipe Critic who is one of my new favorite food blogs to follow, everything I have made of hers is wonderful.  Please try this chicken its yummy, healthy and easy to make!

 

 

6 chicken breasts

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

 

Pre-heat oven to 375.  In a bowl mix all ingredients and dip the chicken in it.  Put on a greased cookie sheet.  Any remaining yogurt mixture put on chicken.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked.  For a thicker breast may take 45 minutes or longer, I use thin chicken pieces.