Halloween Brownie Trifle

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Make your Halloween SPOOKTACULAR!  This dish is always a hit at parties and gatherings.  Never any leftovers, so make two.  Click on the links if you need orange food coloring or a trifle dish. This has been a hit at Halloween parties and family gatherings!  No leftovers!

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1 (18-ounce) box Fudge Brownie Mix
Water, Eggs & Vegetable oil for brownie mix
Black Food Coloring
1 (5-ounce) box Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling
3 cups Cold Milk
Orange Food coloring
1 (16-ounce) container frozen Whipped Topping (thawed)
6 regular size Heath Candy Bars (crushed)
Candy Corn
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Trifle Bowl

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the brownie mix along with the desired amount of black food coloring. Beat with an electric mixer until completely incorporated, then pour into the prepared pan and bake according to package directions. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Combine vanilla pudding, milk and orange food coloring in a bowl. Whisk for 2 minutes, then let sit for 5 minutes to set. Stir 1 cup of the whipped topping into pudding mixture, then set aside. Crush heath bars into small pieces and set aside. Crumble ½ of the baked brownies in the bottom of a trifle. Add a few pieces of candy corn around the outside of the brownie for color. Layer with ½ of the orange vanilla pudding mixture. Layer with half of the leftover whipped topping. Layer with ½ of the crushed heath bars. Repeat the process. For the topping, add candy corn along with crushed Heath bars. Place in the fridge to chill for a few hours, then serve.

Tuscan Rubbed Salmon & Spinach Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

I will admit, I LOVE fresh salmon,  This Tuscan rub pairs quite well with this salmon filet,  Pair it with this simple spinach salad for a heart healthy lunch or dinner.

Items needed:

1 Salmon Fillet
1/2 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Coriander
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
Fresh Lemon Juice
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Line a baking pan with foil, then spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon on foil, skin side down. Combine Italian seasoning, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, then stir together. Drizzle olive oil over salmon and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Rub salmon with seasoning mixture. Bake at 400 degrees on the 3rd rack for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then remove skin from bottom of fish. Serve with spinach salad.

Spinach Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Items needed:

1/3 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon Mustard
Baby Spinach
Feta Cheese
Pecans

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard, then stir until creamy. Top spinach with feta cheese, pecans and dressing.

Kickin' Ribs

It was a very nice day in Georgia today, so I decided to make these delicious ribs.  They will fall off the bones as they melt in your mouth!
 
Items needed:

2 full racks Pork Loin Baby Back Ribs
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper

Wash and dry ribs, then cut each rack in half and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and rub ribs with mixture. Place in fridge for 3 hours to absorb rub.

Sauce:

1/2 cup White Distilled Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 ½ cups Ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Margarine (cubed)
1/2 Tablespoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder

In a large saucepan and over medium heat, bring vinegar and dijon mustard just to a boil. Add ketchup, worcestershire sauce, dark brown sugar, margarine, pepper and chili powder. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Stir often while cooking for 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Divide sauce between 2 bowls, set aside.

Remove ribs from fridge and place side by side on an 11x17 inch pan. Bake at 250 degrees on the 3rd rack for 2 ½ hours. Remove from oven and place on the grill. Baste with 1 of the bowls of sauce. Grill for 15 minutes on each side. Serve with other bowl of sauce.

Simple S’Mores Cake

If you are looking for an easy and yummy cake to make, you have come to the right place.  This Simple S'more Cake is so easy to make!  Get the kids in the kitchen to help make this one.  It uses a boxed cake mix and instant pudding.  Grab the recipe below.

Simple S’Mores Cake

1 package (about 15 ounces) milk chocolate cake mix

1 package (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup mini marshmallows

3 milk chocolate bars (1.55 ounces each), broken into ½ inch pieces OR 1 cup milk chocolate chips

3 whole graham crackers, crumbed into ½ inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Spray 13X9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix and milk in large bowl; beat 1 – 2 minutes or until well blended.  Spread batter in prepared pan

Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Turn oven to broil

Sprinkle marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers over cake.  Broil 6 inches from heat source 30 seconds to 1 minute or until marshmallows are golden brown. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.)

Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

Black Eyed Pea Hummus

Black Eyed peas are a staple in the South.  Seriously.  If you live in the South and do not have black eyed peas in your pantry, you need to go shopping.  You can use dried or canned black eyed peas for this recipe.  For simplicity, I used canned.  


Black Eyed Pea Hummus

Items needed:

2 (15-ounce) cans Black Eyed Peas (drained)
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Cilantro
3 Tablespoons Tahini
2 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
2 ½ teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 teaspoons bottled Minced Garlic
½ teaspoon Salt
Pita Bread or Chips for dipping

Drain black eyed peas really well, then place in a food processor along with cilantro, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, minced garlic and salt. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Serve at room temperature or place in the fridge to chill, then serve! 

I highly suggest you double this recipe, because it is delicious and will save you some time! 

Red, White & Blue Jello Trifles

If you are looking for that perfect dessert for your 4th of July cook out, these mini Jello trifles will do the trick,  So very easy to make, (like all my recipes), kids will enjoy them. Adults will adore them.  Just make sure you hide them until it is time for dessert or you might find them all eaten! 



 

Items needed:

2 (3-ounce) boxes Cherry Gelatin Dessert
2 (3-ounce) boxes Berry Bliss Gelatin Dessert
5 cups water for boiling, plus
Additional 4 cups cold water
1 (16-ounce) container Cool Whip
10 Cherries
10 Mini Trifles

Place both boxes of cherry gelatin into a large plastic bowl, set aside. Place both boxes of berry bliss gelatin into another large plastic bowl, set aside. In a large pot, bring 5 cups water to a boil. (Use this amount because some of the water will boil down.) Once boiling, ladle out 2 cups hot water into the cherry gelatin and stir for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups cold water and stir, then place in the fridge to set for 4 or more hours. Ladle out another 2 cups hot water and add to the berry bliss gelatin, then stir for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups cold water and stir together, then place in the fridge for 4 or more hours to set. Set out mini trifles. Break red jello apart with fingers and drop down into the bottom of the trifles. Spoon in an even layer of cool whip. Break apart blue jello with fingers and drop down into trifle. Place additional cool whip in a plastic bag and snip the end with scissors. Top each trifle with cool whip and a cherry.

Mexican Fried Ice Cream Dessert

I always try and make my desserts from items I have on hand.  This Mexican Fried Ice Cream Dessert ius simple to make and very pleasing to the palate.  During these scorching hot summer days, this is my go-to dessert! 


Items needed:

5 cups Plain Corn Flakes (crushed)
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 stick Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup) (cubed)
1 (1.75-quart) container Vanilla Ice Cream
1 (16-ounce) container frozen Whipped Topping (thawed & divided)
3/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup Honey
Chocolate Syrup
Maraschino Cherries

Set out a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Let ice cream sit at room temperature for around 35 minutes. While the ice cream is thawing, place the corn flakes into a large container, then crush and set aside. In a large heavy pot and over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add corn flakes and sugar. Cook while stirring for around 5 minutes (it may take less time, watch corn flakes to make sure they don’t overcook). Place cornflakes to the side to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vanilla ice cream, half of the container of whipped topping and ground cinnamon. Stir until completely combined. Place the remaining whipped topping back in the fridge for later use. Spread a 1/3 of the cooked corn flakes on the bottom of the casserole dish. Drop large dollops of the ice cream mixture over the corn flakes, then spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with the remaining corn flakes. Drizzle the honey over the corn flakes. Cover with foil, then place in the freezer for 6 to 8 hours. Remove and cut into squares. Top each square with chocolate syrup, a dollop of the additional whipped topping and a cherry, then serve.

30 Minute Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I cook a lot of things using chicken stock, which I make myself using chicken leg thigh quarters or whole chickens that I've quartered. Over the years, I've picked up or developed a lot of recipes that make use of the chicken leftover from this process.

Since the chicken is already cooked, it lends itself very well to meals that can be made in time constrained situations. I freeze it in recipe size batches so that I can grab one and thaw it easily. Even If I forget to put it out of the freezer in the morning, it can be thawed out in a matter of minutes in the microwave. This has saved me on more than one occasion when a half day outing lasted way longer than it was supposed to and we don't make it home until dinnertime. Being able to put a home-cooked meal on the table in less time than it would take to order a pizza is priceless.


This is one of my families favorite "leftover" chicken recipes. It can be done with just about any kind of leftover chicken, or you can cook some specifically to make the recipe. I have to make double the recipe because my husband would probably cry if there were no enchiladas for a snack, and my 6-year-old would do the same if there were none for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked chicken, diced
1 package cream cheese, cubed
1 can chopped green chiles
1 package 6-inch tortillas, flour or corn your preference
1 can green chile enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded fiesta cheese blend or cheddar, your preference

Preparation:

Heat oven to  400°F. Prepare a 13X9-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, combine enchilada sauce with cream of chicken soup. Spread a thin layer of the mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

In a large skillet heat chicken, chiles, and cream cheese on medium heat until heated through and the cream cheese is fully melted.

Spoon mixture into tortillas, roll and place seam-side down into the prepared baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Granola Parfaits

I was extremely excited to make these delicious parfaits.  I was truly amazed at how delectable they are.  You can change up the dried fruits or nuts and make it your own.  This parfait is to-die-for, melt in your mouth goodness!  





Items needed:

2 ½ cups Old Fashioned Oats
2/3 cup dried Apricots (diced)
1/2 cup Blueberry Craisins
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
2 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2/3 cup Agave Nectar
1/3 cup Canola Oil
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
Wax Paper
Vanilla Yogurt
Parfait Glasses

Grease and line 3 (11x17) inch pans with wax paper, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine, oats, apricots, craisins, almonds, wheat germ and cinnamon. Blend together with hands. In a 1 quart pot combine, agave nectar, canola oil and coconut oil. Turn burner to low heat and once it is hot, add pot and cook while stirring for 4 minutes until coconut oil has melted. Remove pot from burner and pour over dry mixture. Stir together until completely incorporated. Pour mixture onto 1 of the pans. Bake at 325 degrees on the 3rd rack for 22 minutes, tossing mixture with a spatula every 4 minutes. Remove from oven and toss mixture onto the other 2 pans to dry out. Layer yogurt in the bottom of parfait glasses and then add a layer of granola. Repeat until glasses are filled.

Sweet & Sticky BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

 Sweet & Sticky BBQ Chicken Drumsticks is my favorite thing to grill.  Add your sides and you have a complete meal that the whole family is going to enjoy. Even the kids.



Items needed:

¼ cup White Distilled Vinegar
½ Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 cup Ketchup
4 Tablespoons Margarine (cubed)
½ cup Light Brown Sugar
½ Tablespoon Pepper
½ teaspoon Chili Powder
18 Chicken Drumsticks
Salt & Pepper (to lightly season)

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar and Dijon mustard just to a boil. Add ketchup, margarine, light brown sugar, pepper and chili powder. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring often. Let sauce cool and divide sauce in between 2 bowls. Lightly season chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper. Baste chicken with 1 of the bowls of sauce. Grill for around 20 minutes on one side, then turn and grill for another 20 minutes on the other side. Serve with other bowl of sauce, if desired.

Georgia Peach Smoothie Cocktail

There is nothing I love better than a fresh Georgia peach. Living in Georgia, peaches are abundant. I absolutely love this cocktail. You can leave out the vodka and make a smoothie for the kids.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Vodka
• 3 oz. Mango or Peach Nectar
• 1 Ripe Georgia Peach, peeled and stone removed
• 5 Ice Cubes

Directions:
In a blender add vodka, mango or peach nectar, and a sweet ripe Georgia peach with the peel and stone removed.
Add several ice cubes and blend until smooth.
Pour into a highball or mojito-style glass.
Taste and adjust flavor, if you prefer a sweeter cocktail add a 1/2 tablespoon of sugar or a tablespoon of honey or agave nectar.
Garnish with a slice of peach.
Serve. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.

 

Cherry Delight

Summer is upon us and this is the perfect dessert to celebrate all things SUMMER!  This dessert is easy to make and take to those pool parties and summer celebrations.

Items needed:

Crust:

1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 stick Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup) (softened)
1/2 cup finely chopped Pecans
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Spray an 8x11 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. Combine all in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter and pecans. Blend together with hands, then press into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees on the 3rd rack for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.

Filling:

1 (8-ounce) container frozen Whipped Topping (thawed)
1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese (softened)
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese while adding powdered sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla extract. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over crust.

Topping:

1 (21-ounce) can Cherry Pie Filling

Spread evenly over cream cheese mixture. Chill for a few hours, then serve.