Tag: Food

Posted in Crafts, Gifts

DIY – Plant Markers

Posted on by lmc

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Every spring, when I plant seeds in my garden, I buy unique (often expensive) plant markers to identify my herbs and vegetables. It’s not that I can’t identify my plants without the markers…its just that I like the way the markers look in my garden.
Well, it never fails…by late August, the markers have faded, rusted, or have gone missing. I usually end up throwing the silly things out in November and buying a whole new batch for the next growing season. This year, visiting the paint department at our local hardware store, I got the idea of using paint stirring sticks (that are free) to make my own plant markers. While they may only last one or two seasons, at least they are reasonably priced! The girls and I had fun making them together. This is also a great gift idea for Mother’s or Father’s Day.

DIY – Plant Markers

Visit your local hardware store and ask for a few paint stirring sticks. ( We are painting our bathroom and laundry room so they gave us plenty of sticks with our paint purchase).

Supplies

Paint Stirring Sticks
Craft Paint
Permanent Black Sharpie Marker or Paint Markers
Satin Clear Spray Paint or Spray Sealer

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Paint both sides of the sticks with craft paint; letting them dry thoroughly between coats. Use the permanent marker to write various plant names on the paint sticks. Spray several coats of clear spray paint or sealer over entire stick. Let dry completely before putting them outdoors.

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Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Simply Made Pineapple Snack Cake

Posted on by lmc

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This is one of my favorite cakes to bake! It’s crazy delicious and super easy to throw together. The taste reminds me of a Kentucky Butter Cake recipe I used to make when my children were little. The first time I made this cake, I was delighted to learn that there is no butter, shortening, or oil in this recipe. During the school year, I omit the glaze, and pop it into lunch boxes for a tasty lunchtime treat…Yum!

Simply Made Pineapple Snack Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking soda. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract and crushed pineapple, with liquid. Mix well to combine.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
On warm cake, frost with my Powdered Sugar Glaze.

Posted in Food, Main Dish, slow cooking

Tender Three-Packet Beef

Posted on by lmc

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While Memorial Day weekend is usually all about grilling and opening up the pool for the summer, it seems the weather doesn’t necessarily feel like cooperating this year. After a beautiful morning sunrise, yesterday’s weather turned cloudy and a bit chilly. Instead of grilling, as I had planned, I popped a roast into the crock pot and headed outdoors to spruce up the backyard. This recipe couldn’t be any easier to prepare. I always keep these seasoning packets in the pantry for when I’m in the mood for a no-hassle meal. This is one of the most tender and flavorful roast recipes that I have ever tasted.

Tender Three-Packet Beef

3-5 lb. beef roast
2 cups of water
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet Italian seasoning mix

In a mixing bowl, combine water with the three seasoning packets. In a lightly sprayed crock pot*, place roast beef. Pour seasoning mixture over the roast and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

* I use a 6 quart crock pot for a 5 lb. roast.

Posted in Baked goods, Brunch, Desserts, Food

Scrumptious Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Posted on by lmc

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Oh My Goodness…the sun is shining and it finally feels like Spring! I made these delicious cupcakes to celebrate the beginning of a long holiday weekend.
Rummaging through my pantry shelves yesterday, I noticed that I have a few plastic containers of powdered lemonade drink mix that no one seems to be interested in consuming. This got me thinking about a recipe I recently found for cupcakes combining cake mix and lemonade drink mix. They looked pretty yummy so I thought I would make them and add a few of my own ingredients. Here’s what I came up with…

Scrumptious Strawberry Lemonade Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, with eggs, oil, and water as directed on the box
1/2 cup lemonade powdered drink mix (I used Country Time Lemonade Mix)
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup finely diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix cake batter adding eggs, oil, and water as directed on the cake mix box. With a mixer on medium speed, incorporate lemonade mix and almond extract. Fold in strawberries.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Fill each to 2/3 full.
Bake for 16-18 minutes. Cool completely and top with cream cheese frosting or with my Powdered Sugar Glaze. Garnish with sliced strawberries. Make 2 1/2 dozen.

Posted in Food, Main Dish, slow cooking

Spicy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Posted on by lmc

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Three simple ingredients, one delicious sandwich! If you like spicy, this sandwich is for you. On chilly fall mornings, when we head off to the Northwestern or Purdue University football games, this is one of our favorite take-alongs. I just unplug the crock pot and pack this deliciousness into the back of the car.
Yesterday, after days of warmer than usual weather, the skies turned gray, the heavens opened up, and the strong winds brought a stiff chill to the air. It reminded me so much of a fall morning, I pulled out a few chicken breasts and plugged in the crock pot. By the time the kids came home from swim practice, the chicken was done and the sandwiches were ready. That’s my kinda meal!

Spicy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

6 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 12 oz. bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Place the stick of margarine or butter in the bottom of a 4-6 quart crock pot. Then add the chicken breasts. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours, covered.
When chicken is thoroughly cooked and quite tender. Shred the chicken with two forks. Pour in the bottle of Frank’s Red Hot sauce and combine well. Serve on your favorite sandwich rolls.

Posted in Baked goods, Food, lunch box

Quick Mix Oatmeal Crunchies

Posted on by lmc

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A couple of months ago, I bought several boxes of instant oatmeal because I had about 10 Quaker Oatmeal coupons that I was able to stack with a great sale price, making the oatmeal nearly free! However, after using a few of the flavored oatmeal packets, my family agreed that we prefer my Hearty Crock Pot Oatmeal much better than the instant packets. Knowing that I would have to figure out a way to use up all the leftover boxes, I scoured the Internet for some recipe ideas. After experimenting with various ingredients and playing with quantities, I came up with my own recipe for Quick Mix Oatmeal Crunchies. These flavorful cookies are a snap to throw together and we absolutely love them for lunchbox treats and afternoon snacks.

Quick Mix Oatmeal Crunchies

6 packets of flavored instant oatmeal, any variety you prefer (I use a mixture of cinnamon, raisin and apple packets.)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 tsp milk
1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour and oatmeal packets; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add in the flour and oatmeal mixture; combine thoroughly.
Roll dough into 1 1/2″ balls and drop on to lightly greased cookie sheets, about 2″ apart. Pat the dough ball to flatten.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool briefly on cookie sheet, then finish cooling on wire rack.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Posted in Food, Main Dish

Curley’s Corned Beef Hash

Posted on by lmc

corned beef hash

A tradition in our household when my husband and I were first married, was to head over to my mother-in-law’s house for Sunday breakfast. When we arrived, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Gramma Curley would have on her apron as she filled plates with piles of pancakes, pastries, scrambled eggs and various meats. On one occasion, she poured a reddish meat and potatoes mixture from a small pot onto a plate and my husband’s eyes lit up. I asked what it was and he replied, “It’s corned beef hash”. Well, I had never seen anything like it before. Coming from an Irish family, you would think that I would have known what corned beef hash was. After tasting it, I knew that I had to come up with a recipe of my own. This stuff just wasn’t happening for me. Here is a little something I put together one night with left over corned beef, some shredded cabbage, onions and a few baked potatoes. Give this recipe a try…you won’t be disappointed.

Curley Corned Beef Hash

1 pound fully cooked corned beef, diced
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 left-over baked potatoes, sliced or diced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3 tbls. canola oil

Pre-heat a medium skillet on the stove top , add canola oil and saute potatoes until golden brown. Add shedded cabbage and onions. Season with garlic and onion powder; saute until slightly soft. Add cooked corned beef and continue to saute until heated through; about 15 more minutes. Serve it up hot with some Irish Soda Bread. This is a great one pot meal.