Butterbeer

You don’t have to go to the Leaky Cauldron or the Three Broomsticks to enjoy a rich glass of butterbeer like Harry, Hermione, and Ron. You can make it right at home!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 TBSP water

5 TBSP butter

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cream soda

In a sauce pan, melt brown sugar and water over medium high heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Heat until temperature reaches 220 degrees F. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine softened butter, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice. Add to brown sugar mixture. Stir. Add heavy cream and stir until smooth. Let cool for a couple of minutes.

Pour 2 TBSP into a mug. Add cream soda and stir. Enjoy!

This recipe was based on one I found from Food Nation. I used cream soda instead of seltzer water… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4AziIn3Clg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Tags: butterbeer, Harry Potter, Nonalcoholic

A Twist on The Taco

This recipe comes from Recipes from the Heart by Pampered Chef. It’s everything you want in a recipe – quick, easy, cheap…oh, and it tastes really good!

Tasty Taco Ring

 

Tags: beef, pastry, taco

Red Beans and Rice (and Ham)

This easy, one-dish meal is a great complement to any cajun style meal – and it’s great by itself! Check out the recipe:  Red Beans and Rice

 

Tags: Slow Cooker

Cheesy Soupy Goodness

Of all the soups, I think I like the creamy ones the best. I made this recipe for the first time last night…and I love love LOVE it! Had it for lunch today and it was STILL awesome. Plus, it’s easy. And right now, it’s about 20 degrees F outside…which means this soup will warm the cockles of your heart…or your tummy!

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

 

Puttin’ on the Ritz

These chicken strips are way better than any you’ll ever find at a fast food place. Made with Ritz crackers (yep, you read that right), these strips are moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

http://soupforu.wordpress.com/the-main-event/ritzy-chicken-strips/

Tags: baked, chicken, crackers, main course, Ritz, strips

Cheesy meatloaf

At first I wanted to make meatloaf in bite-size portions. Then I wanted to make a regular meatloaf and then I found this recipe in Campbell’s One Dish mag. It was very well received!

Check it out! Definitely comfort food!

http://soupforu.wordpress.com/the-main-event/mozarella-meatloaf/

Tags: Meatloaf, mozarella

It’s about time for somethin sweet!

I do love dessert! Who doesn’t? I just added a really easy recipe for chocolate muffins made with a whopping 4 ingredients (one of which is water)! And it’s lowfat and high fiber…seriously. I know you don’t believe me but check out the nutritional information for each of the ingredients! You can find this recipe on the Just Desserts page, along with a recipe for Blueberry Peach Cobbler (not lowfat)!

Chocolate Muffins

Tags: chocolate, low fat, muffins, pumpkin

The Grapes of Rath(er) Hungry Peeps!

Every now and then, you just want grapes. Sweet little round grapes. They’re good in so many things – and I’ve discovered chicken salad is no exception. Here’s my standard chicken salad recipe, sweetened up with a little grapey goodness!

As a snack!

Recipe for Chicken Salad with Grapes

Tags: chicken salad, grapes, salad, sandwich, snacks

Perfect picadillo

I made this dish tonight. At one point, I looked over at my son, who was trying to shove what seemed like half a taco in
his mouth at once. I think he was really hungry or he just loved this so much!

Perfect Picadillo Recipe

You can also serve this with pico de talley for extra goodness :)

Tags: beef, cilantro, dip, main course, Mexican, salsa

The stuff of goodness!

When I was first learning how to cook – pre-kids even – I bought a Betty Crocker Cookbook. While some dishes I tried were a miserable failure (not Betty’s fault), a couple were a great success. This, stuffed bell peppers, is one of them.

http://soupforu.wordpress.com/the-main-event/stuffed-bell-peppers-2/

Stuffed bell peppers! If you’re not keen on bell peppers, like my 12-year-old, that’s okay…the filling is the best part!

Tags: beef, Bell peppers, main courses