Blow Pop Martini

Need a yummy drink that tastes like smooth summer fun?  Try this Blow Pop Martini!

1 Part Kinky Vodka

1 Part Bubble Vodka (Three Olives)

1 Part Lemonade/Pink Lemonade

2 Part Sprite

Mix over ice in shaker.  Strain into martini glass.  Garnish with a blow pop and enjoy! 

Pepper jack salsa chicken

Review by Lyndee

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast

½ cup salsa

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

5-8 Ritz crackers

Spray butter

4 Laughing cow creamy pepper jack wedges

4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled

Pico di gallo

Marinate chicken breast in minced garlic and salsa for one hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut chicken breast into four 4 oz tenders.  Place in greased 8 x 8 pan.  Crush the crackers and spread on top of the chicken.  Squirt with spray butter.  Bake for 30 minutes. 

When cooked through, top each piece with a wedge of laughing cow pepper jack and crumbled bacon bits.  Add a bit of pico and enjoy!

This was simple to make and tasted outstanding! It was some of the best chicken I’ve ever made.  Not too shabby for throwing a bunch of things in my fridge together.  

Mom's Delicious Pumpkin Bars

Review by Lyndee

Ingredients:

1 cup oil                      

2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar     

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup brown sugar    

1 tsp soda

4 eggs                           

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups canned pumpkin            

1 tsp nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese     

1 tsp vanilla

2 sticks butter                           

Approx. 3 cups powdered sugar

Mix in order given, sifting dry ingredients together first. Bake in 15 X 11-inch greased and floured pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

For cream cheese frosting: Soften and mix together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat well. Spread on cooled bars. If you don’t feel like making the frosting, you can buy a container of cream cheese frosting at the grocery store.  

Cranberry white chocolate cookies

My sister gave me a big bag of dried cranberries after she realized she didn’t really like them.  My first thought was awesome, I’m going to make some cookies! And I’m glad I did.  These were delicious!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, mix for about 5 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Once chilled, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Roll balls of dough, about 1 Tablespoon of dough each, into balls. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. They will look extremely soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

According to the recipe on Sally’s Baking Addiction, the cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months.

Smashed baby potatoes

Ingredients

8 whole new potatoes (I used baby reds)

3 Tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Dash of garlic

Rosemary (or other herbs of choice)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.  On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil. Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

I topped these with shredded Colby jack, sour cream and some diced green onions. They were great.  Thanks, Pioneer Woman for the recipe. 

Pepper jack and bacon omelet - 150 calories

Want to spice up your morning breakfast but keep it healthy?  How about 150 calories and 11 grams of protein?  This quick and easy omelet is my new favorite breakfast meal.  

Ingredients:

1 egg, scrambled

1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 wedge Laughing Cow Pepperjack cheese

1 tsp garden fresh salsa or pico di gallo 

Cook bacon and set aside on a paper towel to cool.  Pour egg into heated pan.  When first side is done, flip.  Spread crumbled bacon and chunks of cheese onto one half of the egg.  Let set for a minute.  Flip the empty side of the egg over the bacon and cheese.  Cook a bit longer so that the cheese begins to melt.  Top with fresh salsa or pico and enjoy! 

Coral Reef drink

Need a quick and refreshing new drink? Try this lovely concoction and you can almost feel your toes in the sand.  

1.5 oz strawberry vodka (I used Smirnoff)

2 oz Malibu rum

Splash of lemonade

Splash of Squirt

Splash of grenadine

Serve over ice.