Dipped Graham Crackers

It never fails. Every time I melt chocolate for a recipe, I always have way too much left over. I'm too cheap to pour it down the drain, so this idea of dipped graham crackers came to me at the extra coating was starting to harden.

DIPPED GRAHAM CRACKERS

 

GRAHAM CRACKERS

MELTED ALMOND BARK

 

SPRINKLES

 

STEP 1: Just dip graham crackers in coating, roll in sprinkles, and place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper to harden.

 

Now, no wasted candy coating and I have a have a happy 4 year old who will gladly eat my new creation!

Simple Pineapple Cupcakes (two ingredients!)

These cupcakes are SO good! They are perfect for summer get togethers...or, you know, a Tuesday night.

I decided to top each one with a dollop of fat free whipped cream, but you could finish them off with whatever frosting you like. They are a light cupcake, so a whipped topping made them perfect for me!

SIMPLE PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES

(cupcake recipe by: Skinnytaste)

1 box YELLOW CAKE MIX

1 20oz can CRUSHED PINEAPPLE

WHIPPED CREAM

STEP 1: Blend together cake mix and pineapple. Bake per directions on the box or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

STEP 2: Let cupcakes cool then top with whipped cream.

STEP 3 (optional...but it WILL happen): Eat all the cupcakes.

I'm linked to:

Tatertots and Jello

Mmmm....turkey burger.

I love me a good burger. There is a local burger shop that puts Five Guys and Smashburger to shame (my husband even agrees..and he is serious about his meat, people.)

So, while Weight Watchers and I are becoming good friends these days (it's a love hate relationship), I have been enjoying some turkey burgers.

For now, I buy the pre-packaged burgers since ground meat really grosses me out (I'm working on it...but two pregnancies may have messed me up for life).

Here is my simple turkey burger recipe:

SWEET ONION TURKEY BURGER

1 BUTTERBALL SWEET ONION TURKEY PATTY (cooked)

1 slice low fat COLBY CHEESE

1 slice TURKEY BACON

1 large TOMATO slice

ROMAINE LETTUCE

MUSTARD

SESAME SEED BUN (optional)

I normally opt for the low carb option and ditch the bun or I put it on toasted reduced calorie bread.  Then I either pile  a low sodium pickle on top or some broccoli slaw.

So, how do you feel about turkey products? Do they gross you out? Have any good recipes I need to try?

Happy Sunday

I love the weekends. Lazy days spent with the people I love most. I'm one lucky girl!

Can't wait to share some new recipes with you this week and wear my new favorite pair of sandals (bows and diamonds? yes please!).

Happy Sunday!

Please excuse me while I get addicted...

Hmm...I haven't posted on here in a while.

I gotta be honest, I'm not feeling very "inspired" these days. Kinda in a "blah" mood...ever been there?

This week was just "eh" as well. (Are your enjoying all my intelligent descriptive words?)

Amongst all the crud that this week threw in our path...one VERY exciting thing happened!

We caved into social peer pressure and got iPhones!!

"Shut the front door!", right?

And the craziest part of all...my husband didn't pressure me, offer to give me back rubs for the rest of our marriage, create a slide show presentation for how the phones would make us cooler, or offer to donate a kidney to me in order to get them!

In fact...he wasn't even present when I bought them.

Yep, I know you didn't see that one coming. Me either.

 It was a serendipitous moment of qualifying for an upgrade with our carrier, half price phones at Best Buy (take THAT Apple Store!), and some Best Buy rewards, and having two kids with me to keep me from staying too long and considering what I was doing.

So, we are "those cool people" now and I have to say...I am already addicted to Instagram.

 I've only downloaded four apps and I don't see myself getting many more. I still look (and feel) ridiculous as I clumsily try to work my new phone, but it is pretty darn fun, and my husband is very happy. And I still may have made him promise to give me back rubs...or a kidney.

So, do you have an iPhone? What apps do you like? Which ones can't I live without? And if you say Angry Birds, so help me...

Fresh Pico de Gallo

I love me some salsa. Any kind...I'm all for it. Pico de Gallo has got to be my favorite, and I always make a large batch to share!

PICO DE GALLO

(from Allrecipes)

6 ROMA TOMATOES, diced

1/2 RED ONION, minced

3 tablespoons chopped FRESH CILANTRO

1/2 JALAPENO PEPPER, seeded and minced

1/2 LIME, juiced

1 clove GARLIC, minced

1 pinch GARLIC POWDER

SALT and ground BLACK PEPPER to taste

 

STEP 1: Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

 

NOTE: I don't like runny salsa, so I squeeze out the juice and seeds from my tomatoes. I also make double the recipe to have enough to share and for me to put on...well...everything!

Simple Saturday

 

In the beginning of the week we were contained in the house with stuffy noses, cuddles on the couch, and back to back watching of The Princess and the Frog.

By mid week we took a tour of our local candy factory and Baby Boy traded in his floor gym for a saucer.

By the end of the week I got to enjoy some much needed time out with my girlfriends.

When life gets stressful, I have to remember all that we have and be at rest with what we don't.

Happy Saturday:)

The Alice Hansen Family Fund

I am reposting this on my blog in hopes of directing more attention to a family in need.

I have been following Heidi over at Honeybear Lane for a while now and she and her family have suffered a great loss of her sister-in-law, days after giving birth to her daughter.

I can not even imagine the pain that this family is feeling in her absense. Please visit Heidi's blog and read more about how you can help the Hansen family and Alice's husband who is now dealing with the loss of his wife and being faced with the role of a single parent for his two young boys and newborn baby.

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

So, um, this cake is amazing. Like, "I only had this last piece to photograph and share and then I ate it right after I snapped a photo" amazing.

I'm not normally a big cake person, but this one is so moist...amazing. Wait, did I say that already?

STRAWBERRY LEMON YOGURT CAKE

(from A Spicy Perspective)

1 cup (2 sticks) BUTTER, softened

2 cups SUGAR

3 EGGS

3 Tb. LEMON JUICE, divided

LEMON ZEST of 1 lemon

2 ½ cups all-purpose FLOUR, divided

½ tsp. BAKING SODA

½ tsp. SALT

8 oz. VANILLA YOGURT

12 oz. fresh STRAWBERRIES, diced

1 cup POWDERED SUGAR

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sift together 2 ¼ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

STEP 2: With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.

STEP 3: Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.

STEP 4: Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP 5: Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake

The, serve to your family...if you haven't eaten the whole thing yet.

Happy Thursday!