Ranch Chicken

Do you all know about Pintrist? I'm sure you do, but just in case - go check it out! If you want an invite, let me know. It's a virtual pinboard of E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!!! Quote, recipes, craft ideas, decorating tips, photography, etc... you can find anything & everything on Pintrist! And that's where I saw this recipe. It looked yummy & seemed pretty easy & kid-friendly (my top 3 musts!) so we tried it - and it was pretty good! My oldest, Luke, kept coming into the kitchen while it was baking with his nose in the air like a hound dog, sniffing & taking deep breaths & asking with anticipation when it would be ready. And he was no disappointed when it hit his plate - the kids all loved it! Woo hoo!

The ingredients list is pretty simple:


Chicken tenders - or just breasts cut into wide strips, corn flakes , shredded Parmesan cheese, a packet of Ranch powder mix & butter!

Put your corn flakes into a dish & smash them up just a little bit. Add in the ranch mix & Parmesan cheese & stir it up.


Melt the butter in the microwave, dip the chicken in it....


... and dredge it through the breading mixture.


Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam & then load it up with your chicken. Drizzle a little of the leftover butter over the top of your chicken strips.


Bake them at 350 for about 40 minutes.

**A tip - as this bakes the bottoms will likely get a little soggy. If you use a little of the extra breading mixture to make a bed for the tenders to sit on, the soggy will soak down into the bed rather than the bottom of the strip. Also, after the baking time was up, I pulled them from the oven, drained off the excess butter from the bottom of the pan & stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes to help them crisp up.


These were really good! I thought they were 'good enough' but the kids loved them which makes them woooooooonderful in my book! Less stress at the dinner table is always welcome in my home!

Ranch Chicken:

3 chicken breasts, cut into wide strips (3-4 per breast)
3/4 cup corn flakes
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 packet Ranch dressing/dip mix
1 stick butter, melted

Melt butter; set aside. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine cornflakes (slightly crushed), Parmesan & ranch mix in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in the butter then dredge through breading mixture & line them up in the prepared pan. Lightly drizzle with a little of the leftover butter.

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Peanut Butter-White Chocolate-Pretzel Cookies

My big kid turned 8 this past May - and in our church, that is the magic age that you enter the Scouting program! Unfortunately for him, though, it was also the last month they had any activities before breaking for the summer. Bummer! Just missed it! He did, however, get the chance to be a part of Scout day camp over the summer where he passed off several 'things' (I'm still a brand new Scout mom - I don't know all the words yet! LOL). So when we had out kick-off pack meeting at the end of August he was able to receive a couple of belt loops & his Bobcat patch! Woo hoo! I was asked to bring cookies to the meeting so I made 2 different kinds. My Cranberry Double Chip Cookies and these ... Peanut Butter White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies! That name sure is a mouthful. And these cookies are sooooooooooooooo fantastic!!! Check 'em out!

Here's my big kid in his shiny new uniform!


And him pinning the "thanks for helping, Mom" Bobcat pin on me.


OK! And now on to the cookies!
You'll need:


Peanut butter, butter, egg, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, baking soda, white chocolate chips & pretzels.

Cream together your butter & sugars in a mixing bowl.


In a small bowl combine 1 cup of the white chips with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.


Melt them in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, stirring well each interval. Be careful to NOT burn your chips!

Add melted white chocolate/peanut butter mixture into your butter/sugar mixture in the mixing bowl. Mix well.


Now add in your flour, salt & soda. The responsible thing to do is mix them in a separate bowl first. Nobody loves biting into a clump of baking soda. But I usually just gently sprinkle the salt & soda all over the surface as the mixer is going & let them get mixed in well that way - then add the flour.


While that is combining throw your pretzels into a little baggie & break them into bits. If you've got little kids at home they would probably love to help with this part!

Stir in the remaining chips & pretzel bits.


I use my 'medium scoop' (measures 2 tablespoons) to drop them onto a cookie sheet. Then use your fingers & gently press them to about 1/2-inch thick.

Ready for the magic!!? Most people sprinkle peanut butter cookies with sugar. But I'm not most people. Grab your salt!


Drop a pinch on top of each cookie.

Pop 'em into a 350 for 10 minutes or so.


Cool them on the sheet for a few minutes then move them to a cooling rack.

I loved these cookies - as did every single person that I shared them with! I think you will, too.


YUM!

Peanut Butter-White Chocolate-Pretzel Cookies:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided
1 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces

Heat oven to 350. Cream together butter and sugars. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of white chips and 2 Tablespoons peanut butter. Melt either double boiler method or 30-seconds at a time in the microwave; stirring well between. Add melted chips and remaining peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Place flour, baking soda and salt in bowl; mix to combine. Add to wet ingredients until just combined then pour in pretzels and additional white chocolate chips. With a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a baking sheet (lined with parchment or a silpat if you prefer). With your fingers, gently press down each cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness. Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges become golden and slightly crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing.

Source: Picky Palate

Banana Muffins

It seems like my kids go in phases with their banana eating. I've got 1 that never likes them, 1 that always loves them and 2 that are wishy washy. We're kind of in the lull part of their swinging banana preferences, I guess, because the last few times I've brought bananas home from the grocery store they've turned up with brown spots before anyone got around to finishing them off. That's OK, though - it means Mama gets banana bread! This time I decided to go with muffins, instead of just straight bread. And this recipe is a smidge different than my standard one because it's got the addition of some cinnamon & nutmeg in the batter for a little extra YUM!

Your ingredients for this one:
(sorry, no photo today)

1.) Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
2.) Bananas, sugar, vanilla, egg, canola (or veg) oil.

First you mix your dry (except for the sugar) in one bowl...


Mix your wet (plus the sugar) in another bowl...


Then combine the two.


Pout the batter into baking cups & cook at 375 for 18-20 minutes.


Tada!! That's it! If you'd like to dress them a little more than that you can mix up the crumb topping on this banana bread recipe & add it to the tops of each muffin before baking. YUM!!!

The addition of the cinnamon & nutmeg add another layer of warmth & cozy to these muffins. Give it a try!!

Enjoy!

Banana Muffins:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola or veg oil

Preheat oven to 375.

In one bowl, mix flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. In another bowl combine sugar, bananas, vanilla, egg & oil. Add dry ingredients into wet mixture; stir until combined.

Pour batter into muffin tins lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Gooey Bars - PB Mallow White Chocolate

YUM! With summer in full swing there is always a reason to bring treats somewhere - a family picnic at the park, hiking in the hills, snacks for a road trip, neighborhood BBQ, potlucks at church, something to nibble as you stroll around the farmer's market, treats at the campsite, something to take to a neighbor or friend, etc.... wouldn't it be nice to have a yummy little homemade something waiting in our bag! Meet your piece of yummy - the Gooey Bar! This particular one uses yellow cake, a mixture of peanut butter/marshmallow, and a topping of white chips. It's really good. And really sweet! And kinda gooey - but not so gooey that it's gonna make a mess of you & your kids! LOL It's the perfect bit of gooey to make it rich & wonderful & indulgent!

Grab some:


Yellow cake mix, egg, butter, peanut butter (creamy), marshmallow creme, sweetened condensed milk, a bag of white chips.

This is essentially a layered bar so let's dive into layer 1 - the cakey bottom!

Mix together your cake mix, softened butter & 1 egg.


You can start out doing it with a spatula/spoon but as it forms a dough ball your gonna need to get your hands dirty & mix it like a big ball of Play-doh!


Spread that into the bottom of a prepared 9x13 pan. It's easiest if you divide it into quarters and then just smoosh it down with your fingers.

Next up - layer 2 - the gooey!!

If you're lazy like me just rinse out your cake bowl & use it for the next layer. If you love doing dishes grab a new one! Mix the mallow creme (or fluffernutter, as all the east coasters call it!), the PB & the sweetened condensed milk. It'll take a few good stirs but just keep going until you get it all combined.

Turn this:


... into this:


Pour layer #2 over the smooshed down cake layer!


Layer 3 is the easy one - just sprinkle the ENTIRE bag of chips down over the top of your gooey layer.


Pop the whole shabang into a 350 oven for 23-25 minutes.


Now this is the hardest part of all - LET IT COOL! It'll come out a little jiggly in the center still but it'll set up as it cools down. The cake firms, the chips set - but the gooey layer stays nice and soft and.... well, gooey! LOL


These got shared with 2 different homes on my street and there were still plenty of them here to put the kids in a sugar coma! My neighbor enjoyed them so much that the very next day she made her own pan of them - but instead of yellow cake she used chocolate cake, and instead of white chips she used a mix of milk & PB chips. They were equally divine! Don't be afraid to play around with the flavors. You really can't go wrong!

ENJOY!

Gooey Bars [PB Mallow White Chocolate]:

1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 egg
1 stick (8 TBsp) butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz bag white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350; spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with PAM.

Place cake mix, egg, and butter into a large bowl. Mix until well combined, will be the consistency of thick cookie dough. I used my hands towards the ends. Press dough into prepared baking pan.

Place peanut butter, marshmallow creme and condensed milk into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Pour over crust then top with white chips. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until cooked through. Center will seem somewhat jiggly, but will set up while cools.

Let cool completely, cut into squares and serve.

Source: Picky Palate

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

** Don't forget to enter my happy-1st-birthday giveaway! **

There's a good chance Grandma or Grandpa baked you this cake when you were little. It's a depression-era cake with some massive staying power! Eggs & butter were hard to come by back then (they were rationed) so rather than wasting them in a cake (in my book that is the best use of eggs!! LOL) the smart little homemakers back then discovered mayonnaise as a substitute. It makes perfect sense - it's made with oil & eggs so it replaces them very well. This is a super dense, moist & wonderful cake! Hands down my husband's favorite. I can tell you're still skeptical - chocolate & mayonnaise... together!!? YES! I promise, You. Will. Love. It!

Here are your ingredients:


Baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, mayonnaise, sugar, flour, vanilla & water.

First mix together all of your dry ingredients.


Then plop in all your mayo. I know - it looks like a lot. Just trust me!


Give it a good mixing & get it all incorporated. Slowly add in the water & vanilla.


Hey! Look! It's starting to look like cake batter!!

Pout it into a prepped pan & bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.


Let it cool completely & then frost it with your favorite chocolate frosting. As I've mentioned before, I LOVE the one on the canister of Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder.

Tada!!


I totally spaced it on taking a picture of the cake all prettied up with candles on top! LOL Woops! But this way you get to see inside! Yum! Seriously. YUM.

I really hope you'll give it a try! You will love it.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add in mayonnaise & combine well. Gradually stir in water & vanilla & blend until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely before frosting with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Pizza Bites

Leftover Easter ham? Ya... thought so. Us, too. Tired of ham sandwiches? Yep... same here. So how about mixing things up a little bit & trying something new with some of that ham!!? I'd seen several different bloggers post a recipe for Pizza Bites/Pizza Balls - little balls of dough with a cube of mozzarella & a slice or 2 of pepperoni in the middle. Then you bake them & dip 'em in pizza sauce. Well, I was trying to be good & responsible & use what we had so I decided to make up a batch of ham & pineapple pizza balls. Not bad!! Not bad at all! Wanna make some? Of course you do!! LOL

You'll need:


A roll of pizza dough (or you can go from scratch), Mozzarella (most of the people I've seen used cubes - I had shredded so that's what we went with!) and what even toppings/fillings you like on your pizza. As mentioned, I went with ham & pineapple. you could easily so sausage, olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, etc... have fun with it! Then you'll also need olive oil, Italian Seasoning & Parmesan cheese. And your dips, of course!

Roll out your dough & then cut it into little squares. I got 20 out of 1 roll of the Pillsbury stuff.


Spread the squares out a little & then add in the fixings!


Seal the edges up tightly. You don't want any holes or it'll all ooze out & leave you with a sad, hallow ball. Booo for empty pizza balls!


Now pop them into a greased pan, seam side down - either a square or pie one work. Drizzle with some olive oil & use a pastry brush to spread it around. Then sprinkle with Italian Seasoning & Parmesan cheese.


Throw them into your 400 oven for 20 minutes.

Ta da!!!!


I smashed one open for you....


Look at all the steaming, oozing goodness!

Serve them up with a side of your favorite dipping sauce - pizza sauce, Alfredo, Ranch... whatever your family's into!


Mmmm..... ENJOY!

Pizza Bites:

Pizza dough
Mozzarella cheese
Favorite toppings
Olive oil
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Roll out your dough & cut it into about 20 equal squares. Take one square, spread it out a little & add in Mozzarella & toppings. Seal up the edges completely. Continue until all balls are done.

Place seam side down in a greased pie plate or 8x8 pan. brush tops with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese & Italian seasonings.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.