Love to customize gifts? Here's an idea to spruce up a non-perishable food item in less than 10 seconds.
Read MoreVegetarian Zucchini "Meatballs" Recipe + My New Oster Spiralizer
I have been wanting to create a recipe like this for a long time now, and I thought that a good way to test out my new Electronic Spiralizer from Oster, would be to make a vegetarian version of one of my favorite foods, meatballs. You won't even miss the meat, promise!
Read MoreMy Most Popular Posts In October 2016
Since the month is almost over, and the season change is in full swing, I wanted to look back at some of the posts that brought me the most traffic this past month.
I created so many fun recipes and ideas this past month, and I am so happy to be able to share it with you here on Lily The Wandering Gypsy!
Organic Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats
Fall Booties By Lulu's
Hosting A Food Photography Party
Create a Halloween Puppy Gift Basket
Those posts gained me nearly 70% of my total traffic, which is so great! I love checking back to see what people are enjoying. Until next time!
Sweet Potato Bites - A Quick And Easy Tailgate Recipe
This recipe turned out SO well! I also thought they would be cute as a tailgating or football viewing party recipe. I found some adorable football napkins at TJMaxx, and also found the food serving supplies at Hobby Lobby (links provided below).
Really excited that I have a new, super easy recipe in my arsenal now :) I love how easy these were to make, and would be such a great idea for a crowd, a side dish for any meal, or would even be perfect an easy and wholesome snack. I used 2 sweet potatoes, and made way too much. So, 1 potato for every 2 people would likely be enough. I also show a little bit of Ketchup here (I love the new Simply Heinz one), but most people prefer honey on their sweet potatoes. So, get creative, and serve these Sweet Potato Bites with just about any sauce, and you're golden.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil or use non-stick spray. I then washed the potatoes, and opted to peel the skins off of the potatoes, but it's possible that leaving the skins on would be just fine. Cut potatoes into small, bite sized pieces, and put them into a bowl with olive oil (enough to coat everything), and seasonings like salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne pepper, and a bit of an Italian seasoning blend that contained a bit of rosemary and parmesan cheese.
2.) Mix ingredients well, and make sure the potatoes are coated completely. Pour the potatoes onto the lined baking sheet, spread evenly so nothing is overlapping, and bake for 20 minutes, checking on and stirring them on the baking sheet, then baking for another 10 or so minutes. They will start to get brown and crispy around the edges and still be soft and scrumptious. Make a little, or make a lot!
SERVING IDEAS:
I love the trick of using patterned tissue paper (found in the gift wrap section at a craft store), and cutting pieces a little bigger than the container you will serve the food in. It really dresses things up! In this post, I used these food containers (found here), small paper condiment cups (similar here), and patterned tissue paper. I also used some gold utensils (found here), but you could use any color.
Peanut Butter + Yogurt "Smoothie" Bowl
I was recently challenged to create something containing a certain cinnamon-flavored peanut butter. I tried the stuff, and it was kind of interesting. I have never imagined a combo like this, and it was pretty good. But, I also had it in my mind to create something like a smoothie bowl that was topped with all sorts of tasty and nourishing things like pumpkin seeds, granola, crushed peanuts, and a few other things. I also love those smoothie bowls I see that have edible flowers on top, and this recipe was the perfect opportunity to "scout" my neighborhood for marigolds to top the smoothie bowl with.
HOW TO MAKE IT:
1.) For the base: Mix 2 parts vanilla yogurt to 1 part cinnamon (or any flavor) creamy peanut butter. Make sure everything is combined well. Pour into bowl and smooth top with spoon.
2.) Top with your favorite trail mix (I used a mix of pumpkin seeds, raisins, and sunflower seeds). I also crushed up some peanuts and then sprinkled those in the center, then also added a handful of granola. Lastly. I topped the smoothie bowl with marigolds, for a cute touch of edible flowers. That's it, enjoy! Have fun with your food :)
For the marigolds, I actually looked at 3 different places, and the only flower really available right now is mums. They're all looking gorgeous as ever, but when we visited local farms a couple of weeks ago (post coming soon...), I saw lots of marigolds. I guess it's way too late into the year to find marigolds at any stores, so thankfully as I was driving home, I saw marigolds out of the corner of my eye! I hope the people who grew them don't mind I borrowed just a few :)
Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Chick and Broccoli Bake
The other night I was hungry, surprise, surprise, and knew I wanted to incorporate chicken into my dinner somehow. Well, I scanned the pantry, and am so happy with what I created!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 1/3 of an onion
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic
- 1 - 2 C. Broccoli
- 1 Jar of Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
- Italian Seasonings ( I adore this one)
- 1 box Penne Noodles
- 1 C. Mozzarella Cheese
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Bread Crumbs
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.) Boil noodles until al dente.
2.) While the noodles are boiling, add a bit of olive oil and chopped onion to a skillet. Season with salt and Italian seasoning.
3.) Once onions are sautéed nicely, add chopped chicken breasts and garlic. Season generously with the Italian seasonings, and cook chicken until the middle is no longer pink.
4.) During this time, also boil your chopped broccoli, until tender, and strain.
4.) In a large bowl (there is a lot to mix, here - just warning...), mix 1 jar of tomato Alfredo sauce, cooked chicken, all of the noodles, mozzarella cheese, part of the parmesan cheese, steamed broccoli, and more seasonings if desired. Mix thoroughly.
5.) Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick spray, pour the mixture in, and smooth out. Top with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes covered with foil, then 5-10 more minutes uncovered to get a crispier top. Let cool and serve! This turned out SO well.
#SoFabSeasons - TONS Of Great Apple Recipes For Fall
Apples are such a huge part of the landscape and economy here in southern Illinois, and I love how versatile apples can be - in recipes, decor, and DIY projects. Have you created anything from apples lately?
One of my favorite things that brings up memories of fall is Apples! Do you remember apple picking with your family? How about all of those those tasty fall recipes for everything from fresh apple fritters to hot apple cider! We are excited to share with you this collection of amazing apple themed posts from many of our outstanding members here in the Social Fabric community. We know that you will enjoy them and hope that you can create some new fall memories for yourself and the ones you love.
DESSERT RECIPES (* denotes recipes used in graphic)
*Lily the Wandering Gypsy - Fresh Apple Donuts with Bacon, Caramel Pecan Glaze
Home and Garden Cafe - Apple Pie Coconut Ice Cream
*Joy's Life - Apple Pie Dessert Pizza
*Kitchen Concoctions - Toffee Apple Pie Cookies
The Bandit Lifestyle - Delicious Apple Fritters Perfect for Fall
Roasted Beanz - Easy Crustless Almond Raisin Apple Pie
Wondermom Wannabe - Clean Eating Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce
Anti June Cleaver - Mini Dutch Apple Pear Pie to Get You Ready for Fall
Basic N Delicious - Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Mostly Homemade Mom - Caramel Apple Pie Fudge
Little Blog in the Country - Pressure Cooker Canned Apple Pie Filling
Diana Rambles - Apple Spice Dump Cake
The Tip Toe Fairy - Apple Plum Skillet Cobbler
Five Marigolds - Sweet and Savory Salted Caramel Apple Dip
Intelligent Domestications - Apple Cinnamon Roll Cake & Apple Cream Cheese Icing
Home Maid Simple - Easy Apple Crisp
More or Less Cooking - Best Apple Fritter Coffee Cake
My Big Fat Happy Life - Skinny Caramel Ice Cream
* An Alli Event - Apple Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting
Tobin's Tastes - Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
Ginger Casa - Delicious Apple Cranberry Pecan Crumble
Sweet Sensations - Apple Cobbler with Oatmeal Muffin Crust
A Labor of Life - How to Make Delicious Apple Roses
Julie Is Coco and Cocoa - Fried Cinnamon and Sugar Apple Rings
Polka Dotted Blue Jay - Mini Carmel Apple Bites
Finding Sanity in Our Crazy Life - No Bake Oatmeal Apple Pecan Cookies
Being Tazim - Strawberry Apple Crumble Vegan and Dairy Free
Upstate Ramblings - Caramel Apple Cake
Rebecca Lately - Baked Apple Recipe
Simple Food 365 - Light and Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Mama Plus One - Homemade Apple Cider Donuts
Bento Lunch (dot) net - Caramel Apple Pudding Parfaits
MORE APPLE RECIPES
Broken TeePee - Salmon and Rice Noodles on Apples, Carrots & Zucchini
Revel & Glitter - Autumn Cranberry Apple Pear Salad
* Happy Go Lucky - Bacon Cheddar Apple Dip
Honest and Truly - Delicious and Easy Mini Apple Pancakes
Smiling Notes - Healthy Apple Pie Oat Pancakes
Creative Southern Home - Apple Bread
Beyond Mommying - Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese
Momcrieff - Apple Pancake Rings for Breakfast or Snack
Tiaras and Tantrums - Favorite Autumn Apple Snacks
Injenious Life - Gluten Free Applesauce Muffins
Everyday Party - Simple Caramel Apple Cider
A Paper Arrow - Apple Bread for the Fall
Happy and Blessed Home - Delicious Apple Recipes
Mom Saves Money - DIY Dehydrated Apple Rings
Gluesticks Blog - Baked Apple Chips
Life With Lorelai - Caramel Apple Crumbly Bread Recipe
Ava's Alphabet - Baked Apple Pancake
Life with Lovebugs - Spiced Applesauce and Oatmeal Muffins
For the Love of Crust - Homemade Crockpot Apple Cider
Oat & Sesame - Maple Your Applesauce
Southern Mom Loves - Cheddar and Apple Goldfish Snack Mix Recipe
My Life Cookbook - Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bread (Gluten Free)
ACTIVITIES
Tales of Mommyhood - Apple Picking Favorite Family Activity
Mama Luvs Books - Apple Picking in Rhode Island
Kori at Home - Apple Tot School Unit with FREE Printables
Jenny at Dapperhouse - DIY Apple Basket Sorting Game
To & Fro - Tips for Apple Picking with Your Family
CRAFTS
Little Mama Jama - Apple Stamping Sensory Activity for Preschoolers
Creative Ramblings - Fabulous Fall Wood Apple Sign
Woods of Bell Trees - Quilted Apple Pillow
For What It's Worth - Apple Themed Party with DIY Apple Craft
The Kennedy Adventures - Paper Plate Apple Craft
Babs Projects - Apple Scented Potpourri Pouches
Great Contradictions - Apple Themed Candy Bar Wrapper Printables
BEAUTY
* Momerish - Apple Pie Sugar Scrub Perfect for Fall Pampering
Can you believe all these incredible Apple themed posts? Bookmark this page so you can come back and try out all the recipes, crafts and activities with you and your family! Check back next month when Social Fabric features posts with a pumpkin theme. You can always search the hashtag #SoFabSeasons to find more of what you're looking for!
Fresh Apple Donuts With Maple, Bacon, Caramel Pecan Glaze!
So, these fresh baked apple donuts turned out great. I adapted this recipe, from A Latte Food just a tiny bit, and they worked out so well. I loved each of the steps involved in this project. I also substituted buttermilk with vanilla yogurt (it worked out great!!).
This is actually the first time that donuts have actually worked for me. Last time, they did not rise much, they were kind of bland, and I basically put the donut tin in the back of the cabinet to be forgotten for a while.
But, I was recently invited to join a little blog post link up with some other bloggers, and the only requirement for #SoFabSeasons was that it had to do with apples. Well, off to Pinterest I went, and within minutes, I knew that donuts had to go down.
This was also my first time really making a glaze for donuts, and it turned into more of a caramel because I heated the mixture a bit too long, bringing the sugars to kind of caramelize. Oh well, these are amazing, and I loved topping them with an unexpected ingredient - bacon bits and pecans. That bacony flavor really goes so well with the other flavors, that I am so happy I added the bits.
Another great thing about living in southern Illinois is that you don't have to go very far to find an apple (or peach tree) orchard. I photographed these apples, below, one day after I visited Flamm Orchards. I am sure they have been picked by now, because this was shot maybe 2 weeks ago :)
Donuts
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp butter
And, here are the apple crates at Flamm Orchard. I would LOVE to get one of those for a photography prop/surface!
Maple Glaze
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Apples
- 1 large apple, chopped finely
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Topping
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 package bacon bits
INSTRUCTIONS
- (APPLES) On med-low heat, cook apple filling mixture for about 3-4 minutes. Pull off heat and allow to cool.
- (DONUTS) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 6-count donut pan liberally with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt together.
- In a second bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract together.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. Gently mix the batter until combined.
- Add in melted butter and apples and mix until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the donut pan, evenly distributing the batter between the 6 donut cavities (you may have enough batter to make 7-8 donuts).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden and 'spring' back when touched.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- (MAPLE GLAZE) Melt butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon over low heat. Once melted together, pull off the heat. Sift in powdered sugar, and whisk until fully combined. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes so the glaze can thicken. You want to work kind of quickly on this step, because the glaze can cool kind of quickly, and thickens.
- Dip each donut into the glaze and immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans. The elongated-shaped dish shown in white, is one I got at IKEA, it was the perfect shape. Allow to cool on a wire baking rack.
- Enjoy!
PIN IT FOR LATER...
DIY Cheese Markers, Styling A Cheese Plate & Yummy Fruit Bars by Outshine - Live Life Brighter
I had so much fun creating a video for Outshine Bars! I thought that a fun way to create this one was to make a Cheese Plate, create some adorable and customizable Cheese Markers, then show how fun and easy it is to also serve these Outshine Bars to guests (or keep them all for yourselves, it's totally up to you!).
Here, I featured the Lime, Mango, and Grape flavors of Outshine Fruit Bars. I love that they're all made from REAL fruit, and taste super good. I love the lime best of all these flavors, and mango is a close second. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised at their dessert option, too!
And, remember to check out the Outshine Instagram account, it's adorable :)
Build A Better Breakfast And Help Families In Need (Plus A Laminated Placemat DIY Tutorial)
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterBreakfast #CollectiveBias
Anyone who knows me will agree that I need a good breakfast to start the day right. Are you one of those sorts of people? My breakfast usually includes milk in some way, whether it's in cereal, or as a glass of milk to accompany my meal. I was super excited about the chance to work with The Great American Milk Drive, Lender's Bagels, and Walmart to help with this meaningful cause.
Now, you can help feed a childhood when you shop at Walmart – by purchasing 1 or more of these products, you are helping Feeding America provide nutrient- rich milk to kids and families in need.
This campaign is supporting The Great American Milk Drive.
There are lots of families who do not get the opportunity to provide a good breakfast for their kids or themselves each morning. I learned recently that you can actually donate milk to families - I had no idea this was even possible! I love spreading the word about good causes, so read on to learn more. I thought that a DIY Laminated Placemat and a fun twist on the usual bagel toppings would be so fun to share here with you today.
"Childhood should be filled with playing, learning and growing. But for many children who face hunger, even basic staples like milk – and the nutrients that help power childhood activities – are missing". - MilkLife.com
FUN BAGEL TOPPINGS FOR KIDS + ADULTS:
Strawberry Cream Cheese + Sprinkles
Strawberry Cream Cheese + Fresh Strawberries
Plain Cream Cheese + Sunflower Seeds
- 3 colors of fabric (1/8 yard of the red, 3/8 yard of the deer fabric, and 3/8 of a yard of the black and white plaid for the backing).
- Iron-On Vinyl (Heat & Bond works well)
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine and Thread
- Iron
1.) Cut pieces of fabric as follows:
- Backing Piece (12" x 18")
- Red Piece (12" long)
- Deer Fabric Piece ( 12" x 15")
- 2 pieces of iron-on vinyl (12" x 18")
2.) Cut and Iron fabrics, and sew the 12" ends of the red fabric and deer fabrics together. Iron and top stitch the seam you just created.
3.) Peel a bit of the paper backing off of the first piece of vinyl. It's super sticky, so I recommend cutting a 2" wide strip off of the paper backing. Stick this to the exterior of your patchwork piece of fabric, and line the shorter sides up. Press to secure, thankfully it's very easy to reposition. Just make sure no pet hairs make their way under the vinyl :)
4.) Peel the rest of the paper backing off of the vinyl, pressing out any wrinkles as you go. Once vinyl is fully stuck onto the fabric, then take that paper again, grid side up, and iron the vinyl onto the fabric. This works like magic! Slow and steady pressure works best, moving the iron with medium pressure, so it doesn't melt. VINYL IS SUPER HOT, so please be careful!!!
5.) Iron the vinyl onto the backing material, and line up the fabrics, vinyl sides together, and sew around the edges, leaving a hole about 5" across to turn the placemat right side out.
6.) Turn placemat right side out, then iron with the paper press cloth again. Now, top stitch around the edges, and you are done!! I just LOVE how this project turned out. Perfect for eating breakfast on, and these make for extremely easy cleanup!
7.) Build A Better Breakfast - Hopefully this awesome new placemat will encourage kids and adults to sit down for a quick breakfast, rather than eating as you rush out the door. Of course, if you are in a hurry, it's a good idea to keep the milk, Lender's Bagels, and Fruit Fusions next to each other in the fridge!
MORE ABOUT LENDER'S BAGELS:
They're filling – sustaining kids all morning. They have a great range of flavors, like Plain, Blueberry and Cinnamon-Raisin flavors which are kid-friendly & great for the whole family. Lender’s has a bagel for Everyone! Lender's Bagels can help you save time in the mornings, and are easy, tasty, and nutritious! I found these bagels in the refrigerated dairy section. Lender’s bagel products are great as part of a Better Breakfast. Also, great for an after school snack! Crunchy-on-the-outside, everything’s better on a Bagel!
Keep a metal or wicker tray on the counter for easy breakfast prep (see photo above). Add items like Lender's Bagels, Del Monte Fruit + Veggie Fusions, utensils, and cloth napkins. SO easy, because everything is right at hand!
#BuildABetterBreakfast Sweepstakes Learn More On: Facebook: here
Twitter: here
Instagram: here
Pinterest: here
Youtube: here
Lender's Bagels: here , here , and here
- The combination of milk/bagels/fruit cups give kids protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C and other things that they won’t get with other choices. These 3 products are BETTER TOGETHER.
- Ease and simplicity should also be part of what makes this a better breakfast. All it takes is to pour a glass of milk, get out a bagel, and open a fruit cup. Everything can be stored in the fridge together.
- The Lenders’ and Del Monte products also have the benefit of offering so many flavors that every kid can get a “customized” breakfast with all his or her favorites. Lenders can give you cinnamon/raisin, blueberry, etc. Del Monte can give you a dozen varieties of fruits and combinations of fruits. The flavor combinations are huge.
Fall Favorites with Sahale Snacks - Great For A Fall Adventure
I am so excited that the leaves are changing colors a little bit, and our yard is sprinkled with fallen leaves. Around this time of year, I yearn for Fall adventures here in southern Illinois, and always make sure to bring a bag packed with snacks, bottled water, and a cozy blanket. I love bringing travel sized Sahale Snacks® on my adventures, they're great for grab and go snacking.
Where are your favorite go-to, local places to visit during Fall? Mine would have to be some of our local orchards (Rendleman Orchards and Flamm Orchards are my top picks) here in southern Illinois, Rendleman even has a very nostalgic pumpkin patch - where you can use a red wagon to transport all of your hand-picked pumpkins to the checkout station. J
I’m sharing #SahaleSnackers in my life as part of a Sahale Snacks® sponsored series for Socialstars™.
Another place I love visiting would be one of our wineries, that also serves hand crafted apple cider (life-changing!!). And, when the weather cools down a bit, we love hiking through the Shawnee National Forest (Pomona Natural Bridge is a short hike, but incredibly majestic). I have learned to never leave the house without a snack, so the Raspberry Crumble Sahale Snacks®, and the Pomegranate Vanilla Flavored Cashews would make a great snack, while adventuring to fun places this Fall.
I like keeping a couple of these grab and go sized packages of Sahale Snacks® in my car, just for spur of the moment adventures, or of course, days when I run a million errands. Just a couple bites of a snack like this will keep me going.
I also love bringing along a notebook, so I have somewhere to collect my thoughts, project ideas, but have to admit, love snacking while I journal :)
Where will you take your Sahale Snacks® this Fall?
Live Life Brighter with Outshine Snacks
Do you ever eat a food that literally transports you to another place? Perhaps you tried the best dessert in your whole life, that time you visited Hawaii, and any time you eat something made with lime, it takes you back to that very dessert? Well, these Outshine Fruit Bars in Lime do that to me. These bars bring a rush of taste and chill to my senses, making me think of the awesome food we ate while visiting Waikiki Beach, other places on Oahu, and all around Kauai! This is why Outshine Fruit Bars help me Live Life Brighter!
Where is your favorite place to escape?
Learn more about Outshine Fruit & Yogurt Bars here! They are made with real fruit juices and are non-GMO, which I find extremely important to the food I eat.
Find out Where To Buy these bars here - I found mine at Kroger, and I believe they are also available at Walmart and Kroger Banner Stores, like Fry's and others.
I also LOVE the Outshine Snacks Instagram Account, here. It's full of bright, inspiring images and you can also learn more about the brand's efforts to donate tons and tons of food.
These Outshine Fruit Bars in Lime taste super good. They are not overly sweet, they are tarty and tangy, just like something made with real lime juice should taste like. I also really enjoyed the consistency and texture of these fruit bars. If you are someone who likes frozen treats that taste like real fruit instead of those fake flavors, these are a great option for you.
Refreshing, lime after lime.
Made with lime juice
Excellent source of Vitamin C
No high fructose corn syrup
Fat-free, Gluten-free
No artificial colors or flavors
70 calories
No GMO Ingredients
Some of my favorite things about these Outshine Fruit Bars are:
Only 70 Calories per bar, 0g Total Fat per bar, and 25% of your daily Vitamin C.
Quick N Easy Pesto Pasta
Pasta couldn't get much easier than this. It's nice and light, and super fresh.
INGREDIENTS:
Green Pesto
Fresh Tomatoes
Thick Spaghetti Noodles
Mozzarella Pearls
Parmesan Cheese, Grated
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Italian Seasoning To Taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Boil noodles as directed. Strain and return to original pot. Scoop about 3-4 tablespoons of Pesto onto noodles. Also add your olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt. Stir together, combining well. Turn the heat back on to low. Add mozzarella pearls, and stir. They should melt pretty quickly. Once they're melted, sprinkle past with parmesan cheese, and stir once more.
Serve topped with more parmesan cheese and chopped tomatoes.
Enjoy!
Super Easy Chocolate Waffles Recipe
Are you a chocoholic? So much so, that you may be the type to want chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Well here is an idea for you! These chocolate waffles are pretty easy because you make them from Chocolate Cake Mix!
INGREDIENTS:
1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ cake mix (any flavor)
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat your waffle iron to medium-high heat. Mix all ingredients, and once the waffle iron is warm enough, pour the batter into the waffle iron. Don't overload the batter into the machine, it will seep out the sides and create a big mess!
Add a drizzle of your favorite white icing (I used the decorator icing in the tube for this thinner line). I also added some fresh raspberries and little dollop of cool whip!
Feel free to add some chocolate syrup, if you need more chocolate! Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut Oil
absolutely LOVE these cookies. The recipe (found here) originally called for shortening, and I used coconut oil. 12 minutes at 350° was just perfect. I also created a Steller Story for this recipe, find it here.
Here's 1/2 Cup melted organic butter + 1/2 Cup Organic Coconut Oil at room temp.
Here's my batter before adding the eggs and dry ingredients. pb cookies
Here's the batter with all the ingredients in it.
I found that my 1 Tbsp. silicone measuring spoon (similar ones here) is perfect for scooping and shaping this dough!
You can (optionally) press the dough down with a fork in a criss cross pattern, and sprinkle sugar on top. The cookies will spread a bit more if you do this step.
After baking for 12 minutes at 350, they should look golden brown like this! If you make these cookies and enjoy them, please comment below. Thanks!
Chocolate Dipped Halloween Marshmallows
Caprese Salad Recipe
This is one of my absolute all-time favorite dishes! I love any excuse to eat fresh tomatoes, and when the organic and local ones are heirloom, it's even better! I thought that using a mix of yellow and red tomatoes really gave this plate a more vibrant and special look. I actually created this recipe for the Burnt movie, to help promote their movie. Check out my Burnt project, on Pinterest HERE, entitled Food, Romance, Love.
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 2 SERVINGS)
* 10-15 organic yellow and red cherry tomatoes (or other small tomatoes)
* Fresh Organic Basil (I found mine as a plant at the grocery store. Bonus points for ORGANIC!!!
* Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
* Olive Oil
* Balsamic Vinaigrette
* Salt to taste
Cut tomatoes into quarters. Slice mozzarella cheese with a knife, or create small pieces of cheese with your hands, and set aside. On a plate, drizzle a small amount of balsamic, like I did in the above images. Place tomatoes and cheese onto plate. Also top the plate with basil leaves, as many as you can handle! Drizzle some olive oil and salt over the top of the plate, and you are all done! I also like to serve this with an extra plate of small French bread slices and salami.
This would make an incredible snack, appetizer, or even a light meal! It tastes SO incredibly good, I hope you enjoy it! If you are also a Caprese Salad-lover, comment below to let us know.
Photography Field Trip: Flamm Orchards
Last week, spur of the moment, I drove out to visit Flamm Orchards, in Cobden, IL. I had been wanting to go back for a while now, and I even called ahead to make sure they still had peaches. The peach season has pretty much come to an end, and the apples are almost ready to be picked. It is still a million degrees and also a million % humidity right now, so I am glad I took advantage of the cooler weather we had this day. Heading into September, I always feel like it should be cooling down and feel like Fall, but it sure doesn't just yet. Soon, though! My fingers are crossed that I get to take way more of these Photography Field Trips around southern Illinois soon!
Here is one gem that we have in southern Illinois. It's super easy to get to, and the drive out there is gorgeous around sunset - rolling hills, orchards upon orchards of fruit trees, and just lots of green space. The day I went, the sky was bright blue with puffy, white clouds everywhere.
I bought a jar of this Peach Jam, and cannot wait to use it with puff pastry and fresh peaches. What a good time to test out this recipe! Below, you will see their peach pie, a la mode. I snapped a photo of someone else's dessert at the pickup window, but I bought myself a couple of brownies and a couple of slices of the best Zucchini bread I have ever had in my life! I got therm all to-go, and Bobby made an exception to not liking to even eat sweets, and helped me eat them :)
Flamm Orchards already have lots of beautiful gourds and pumpkins!
And, if it had been a little bit cooler out, I would have enjoyed this little outdoor eating area that Flamm offers. All of the flowers looked so wonderful! (below)
Grilled Flank Steak Fajita Nachos Recipe ~ Outdoor Grilling Inspiration
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AuthenticSalsaStyle#CollectiveBias
A delicious summer grilling recipe, filled with authentic flavor and fresh ingredients! These BBQ Flank Steak Fajita Nachos are the perfect meal to serve at a party, during outdoor grilling season! Read on to learn more about this wonderful recipe and some cute ideas of how to decorate for your next outdoor grilling party.
I just love the colors of this outdoor party table setup. I used mainly blues and whites in my design (dishes, napkins, utensils, table covering fabric, etc). I just let the bright, beautiful food shine with a more subtle color scheme.
Also, I love the idea of using large glass jars with lids to hold chips (found in the kitchen section at Walmart). It's eye-catching, and keeps chips fresh while your serving guests. Use small scoops or tongs for guests to serve themselves
By offering self-serve topping, guests can use as many or as few ingredients as they like. If someone is vegetarian or even vegan, they can opt out of the steak, and just use lots of veggies!
And, if you are looking for more beef-based recipes, look no further: BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.
MARINADE:
Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Taco Seasoning (use half here), Chopped Fresh Onions & Garlic, Pinch of Salt.
FOR THE MEAL:
- HERDEZ® Salsa Casera
- 1 lb. Flank Steak (per 2 people)
- 1 bell pepper each in green, red, orange, and yellow
- 1 purple onion
- Tortilla Chips
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese (We shredded a block of extra sharp cheddar)
- Jalapeños
- Taco Seasoning (use the other half of the package here)
- Limes and/or Lime Juice
- Sour Cream
- Cilantro
- Grill and Skillet
1.) Prepare the marinade in a 9x9 baking pan (I used my brownie pan) by chopping 1/4 of the onion + 1-2 heads of garlic, and mix it with all of the other marinade ingredients. Stir well.
2.) Add steak, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and place in the fridge to and marinade for at least 1-2 hours.
3.) Preheat grill to high heat after steak is done marinading.
4.) Cut up all 4 bell peppers, and most of the onion, and set aside. Get out a large skillet, and heat a small amount of olive oil. Wait until the oil starts to thin a bit, and add your onions and rest of the taco seasoning. Cook until slightly browned, and then add your peppers. Let these simmer on medium low heat, and let's grill some steak!
5.) While your peppers are cooking, bring steak out to the grill on a tray of some sort, with tongs and a spatula. Place the marinated steam right onto the grill. After about 4-5 minutes, if you want those pretty grill marks, rotate the steak 90 degrees, and grill for another 1-2 minutes. Flip the steak over and grill for another 2-3 minutes. This timing left a bit of pink but not much - it was perfect! Take it off the grill and let's make some nachos!
6.) Turn heat off of the peppers and onions when they're cooked, and slice steak into bite-sizes slices or pieces.
7.) To make your nachos - on a plate, add: chips, cheese, corn, sour cream, grilled steak, cilantro, and top with HERDEZ® Salsa Casera. This has been my go-to nachos recipe, and everyone always loves it!
HERDEZ® provides #AuthenticSalsaStyle and it's oh, so good! Thank you so much for checking out my latest recipe, I hope you are inspired by it!! What is your favorite meal to make on the grill? What do you usually grill when you have a crowd? Let me now in the comments, below.
Elegant Chocolate-Dipped Patriotic Oreos
Have you noticed that most candy/chocolate stores offer chocolate-dipped Oreos among their other chocolate bon-bons and other confections? I have always been amazed by this, because they are SO incredibly easy to make. I figure, why not just make some of my own at home! I also wanted an excuse to check out the Oreo Thins that I have been seeing everywhere, so I thought this would be the perfect project!
Without further ado, here are my Elegant White Chocolate-Dipped Oreos, perfect for Labor Day Celebrations, and other times when you just wanna decorate some desserts!
- 1-2 packages of Oreo Thins (find them here)
- Ghirardelli Classic White Melting Wafers or White Chocolate Chips (find them here)
- Red Food Coloring Gel (this is the set I have) or red candy melts
- Blue Sprinkles (similar here)
- Glass jar to dip Oreos into (mine was the 8 oz. size, I believe)
- Skewer Stick
- Parchment Paper
1.) Melt white chocolate in a double boiler method or in the microwave, stirring regularly to make cure it's smooth and fully melted.
2.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3.) Transfer a portion the melted white chocolate to a jar that is about as deep as the Oreo Thins are wide. Leave about 1/2" of room from the chocolate to the top of the jar.
4.) Dip each Oreo Thin into the white chocolate, and dip in little over half way, leaving space at top.
5.) As you pull the cookie out of the jar of white chocolate, use a skewer stick to scrape excess chocolate off the back of the cookie, and around the sides. This is a great tip, that makes your cookies look way better and less gloppy as they dry.
6.) Put each cookie onto the parchment, and let cool completely.
7.) After you have dipped every cookie, pour more white chocolate into a jar, and add lots of red gel food coloring. This could also be done with red melting wafers.
8.) Transfer to Ziploc bag, and cut a tiny opening in one corner. ***Working one cookie at a time, add lines of red chocolate, then a few blue start sprinkles to each cookie. Practicing first helps!
9.) Enjoy your cookies! These would be perfect for a party or just enjoying at home!!!
