HomeMade Banana Pudding

I'm not the one who makes everything home made. I like my boxes and cans of food. Frozen is my friend. But I got a wild hair up my ass yesterday and wanted to make something people would like. I just happen to have some bananas in the freg that were about to go bad if something wasn't done with them. 

So with all that, I made home made banana pudding yesterday for the 1st time. 

Here's how I did it :

2 c. sugar
3 tbsp. self rising flour
3 egg yolks
3 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 stick butter
Bananas
Wafers

Mix sugar and flour in non-stick saucepan. Add milk and beaten egg yolks. Cook over low heat stirring all the while until it thickens. When thickened add butter and vanilla. Let cool. Layer bananas and wafers in long glass pan. Pour pudding over them, let it soak in.

Recipe via { here }

Things I would change:

I would hold off on the 1/2 cup of milk. And add it if needed because I found my pudding was a little watery. 

What's your favorite thing to make homemade?

Tasty Tuesday Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal crust.

Here's a simple method for making homemade pizza -- it can be on your table in 40 minutes!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
Additional cornmeal
2 cups Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes or plain diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 450°F.In medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of the flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup cornmeal and remaining 3/4 cup flour to make a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with additional cornmeal. Press dough into 14x10-inch rectangle on cookie sheet; prick with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn brown. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend. Top with chicken, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.
Time-Saver: You can choose to cook your own chicken, or purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat for this pizza.
Makes 6 servings.

Brownie Cream Pie

I've been wanting to make a home made pie for a while. I did a lot of experimenting and finally out came the Brownie Cream Pie. This one is made with a store bought pie crust, but you can make your own.
You Need:

• Pie crust 
• tub of whipped cream
• brownie mix
• eggs, milk, and oil for the brownies. 

Pre heat your oven to the temp on the brownie box. Mix and bake your brownies. When done let cool. I popped mine in the frig. When cooled take a bowl and add some whipped cream and some crumbled brownies. Mix well. Do this until just about all the brownies are gone and you have enough mix to fill the pie crust.  
Full the crust and add some whipped cream on top and some more crumbled brownies to make it look pretty. Than your all done and ready to eat.

Tasty Tuesday : Fried Green Tomato BLT

This is a special edition of Tasty Tuesday. It's the Tasty Tuesday Hubby Edition !!!!!
This is he's Fried Green Tomato BLT. " The BTL for those who don't like BLTs".

You'll Need :
green tomatos
bread
bacon
lettuce
red onion
cheese.

What You Need To Do :
Batter and fry those green tomatoes. Fry up that bacon too. Toast the your bread ( we like wheat ). Now you build your sandwich. Add cheese, sliced onions, lettuce, bacon, and fried green tomato.
Then eat it up and enjoy.

Thanks to my wonderful hubby today for this great recipe.

French Toast Cups

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray and I had to try it out and share it.
You'll need :
Eggs
Any seasoning you like on your french toast.
bread
a oven
a muffin tin
fruit
and syrup.

You mix your eggs and seasoning in a bowl.
Take your bread and cut it from the center on one side, this helps it fit into the muffin tin easier.
Dip the bread into the egg mix and push down into the muffin tin to make a bowl.
Spray down the muffin tin with non sticking spray.
Like this:

Put the muffin tin in the oven until the french toast is golden brown. It will come out looking like the above picture.
Take the french toast cup out in put on plate and add fresh fruits and syrup.

You will get a yummy French Toast Cup like this one above.

Tasty Tuesday: Taco Mac & Cheese

I got this cheese creation from eating too much Hamburger Helper. I didn't feel good about feeding my family so much powered stuff. So I made our favorite Hamburger Helper myself.

• Elbow noodles
• 1/2 to 1lb of ground beef.
• lots of your favorite cheese.
• Taco Bell taco seasoning. 
• milk.

Boil the ground beef until it's well cooked.  Boiled the noodle done. Mix the beef and noodles into one pot. Add Taco Bell seasoning and all of favorite cheese. add a cup of milk and mix until all the cheese is melted. Then enjoy!

Thirsty Thursday : Kill Bill

Step 1:  Gather the following ingredients to make a Kill Bill cocktail: 1 oz Bombay Sapphire gin, 1/2 oz Southern Comfort peach liqueur, 1/3 oz peach liqueur, 1/3 oz Lemonel lemon liqueur, 1/3 oz fresh lemon juice, 1/3 oz sugar syrup, 1/3 oz peach juice.
Step 2:  Add ice to a shaker.
Step 3:  Add all the ingredients to the shaker.
Step 4:  Shake well.
Step 5:  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass that is filled with cracked ice.
Step 6:  Garnish with a lemon twist and a lime twist (optional).

I had this drink at Taco Mac last weekend. SOOOO good. It's now my favorite cocktail.

Tasty Tuesday

Country Breakfast Pot Pie

                                        Picture via Pilsbury.com. My phone some how doesn't have the picture I took anymore.

INGREDIENTS

3

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

bag (20 oz) refrigerated shredded hash browns

1

cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz)

8

eggs

1

tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2

cups cubed cooked ham (8 oz)

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, cut into small cubes

1

can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Big & Buttery refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

 

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Spread potatoes in skillet; cook until golden brown on bottom.
• 2Drizzle potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil. Cut into quarters; turn sections over. Cook until golden brown. Remove hash browns from skillet; arrange in bottom and around side of casserole. Sprinkle Swiss cheese over potatoes.
• 3In bowl, beat eggs. Stir in chives, salt, pepper and ham. Pour into same skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until partially cooked. Stir in cream cheese; cook and stir until eggs are cooked but moist. Spread over Swiss cheese.
• 4Separate dough into triangles. Starting at short side of each triangle, roll up halfway. Arrange over hot egg mixture with tips toward center; do not overlap.
• 5Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

 

Recipe found at Pilsbury.com

Simple Crock Pot Pork Stew

I used stuff I already had around the house. No special trip to the store.

• Cubed up pork
• Carrots
• Potatoes 
• Green Beans 
• Chick Stock

Turn your crock pot on high and add a can of chick stock. Throw in your pork, chopped potatoes, chopped or baby carrots, and green beans.
Cover with water.
If cooking day of leave on high for five hours or until pork is cooked through and veggies are soft.

See I told you it would be simple.

XOXO
Nikki Darlin'

Crescent Sloppy Joes

INGREDIENTS

1/2

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/4

cup barbecue sauce

1/4

cup shredded Cheddar cheese (1 oz)

1

can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1

egg, beaten

1

teaspoon sesame seed

DIRECTIONS

• 1Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in barbecue sauce; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot. Stir in cheese.
• 2If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 4 rectangles. Press each into 8x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles. Press each into 8x4-inch rectangle. Cut each in half crosswise, making 8 squares.
• 3Place about 2 rounded tablespoons beef mixture on center of each square. Fold dough over filling, forming triangles; press edges with fork to seal. With knife, cut small slits in tops for steam to escape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg; sprinkle with sesame seed.

• 4Bake 11 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

I used Manwich Sloppy Joe in the can. I also found it easier to fold them into squares. 

This recipe was found at Pillsbury.com  

Cheesy Chicken Roll-Up

Ingredients: (makes 8)
1 can of crescent rolls ( I used rolls I didn't have any crescent rolls in the house.)
8 slices of ham ( I used the ham sandwich meat.)
some shredded cheese
8 chicken fingers. ( I used Banquet Original Chicken Breast Tenders )

Directions:
Preheat to 375
roll out one crescent roll
place the chicken finger in the ham
add cheese on top of the chicken
roll up the chicken and cheese into the ham
Then roll the ham/chicken into the crescent roll.
Bake until golden brown.

These are awesome dipped in honey mustard.

XOXO
Nikki Darlin'

Healthy Meatloaf

Ok I know this picture doesn't look the best, but believe me this is good meatloaf. And this is coming from someone who doesn't even like meatloaf. I was looking for healthy foods I could make and save/serve for a few days. I found this recipe for Mom's Makeover Meatloaf at MealMakeoverMoms.com.

Ingredients

• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Lightly oil or coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Mash the beans in a large bowl using the back of a large fork or spoon until smooth but still a bit chunky. Add the beef, eggs, carrot, bread crumbs, ground flaxseed, 1/4 cup ketchup, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste and mix until well combined.
3. Place the meat mixture in the middle of the baking dish. Shape into a 6×8-inch rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches high. Spread the 2 tablespoons of ketchup evenly on the top and sides.
4. Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 160°F, 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand for a couple of minutes before serving.

I loved this meatloaf! I used too many beans and not enough ketchup this time around, but next time I will be sure to get it right. I also didn't have a loaf pan, so I used my casserole pan, which didn't work so well with making it look like a loaf. The black beans in this were awesome. And Skylee even liked it!

XOXO
Nikki Darlin'

Homemade Crab Cakes

I found this recipe by googleing Easy to make Crab Cakes and got the this site Suite101.com
Below you will find the recipe and beside in this writing, you'll find my comments.
Hope you like, my husband really did.

2 cups bread crumbs or crumbled, uncooked white bread (for spongier cakes) I  toasted 6 piece of bread and crumbled them.


2 cups lump crab meat, or fresh boiled crab meat We had some left over crab from paste I made the day before.

1 egg

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard I used reg. mustard.

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning, or any seasoning salt  I used some seasoning salt I had.

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce I didn't use this.

1 tablespoon creole seasoning I also didn't use this.

Place bread crumbs or white bread pieces in a large mixing bowl. Bread crumbs may be purchased, or made at home by burning toast, and crumbling it into the bowl. Crumbled oyster crackers may be mixed in with the crumbs or pieces of uncooked bread for a richer flavor.


Crack egg and stir into crumbs or crumbled bread.

Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce and stir until the ingredients are well mixed. If using lemon juice, stir a little in with these wetter ingredients

Add seasonings (salt, pepper, Old Bay, creole seasoning) and whisk until the "dough" has an even consistency.

If using any of the optional vegetables, mince and stir in here. Celery or red pepper should be used, but not both. The same goes with parsley and cilantro. Tomato is a delicious addition to this recipe, and makes the crab cakes much tastier.

Stir all of the ingredients together well until evenly mixed.

Squeeze crab meat to drain juice out of it. With hands, work the crab meat into the dough by kneading and folding it in.

Make five to ten patties with hands. Press on them from all sides to make them tight, and keep them together.

Fry in a skillet with butter over medium heat for about five minutes on each side. If they are thicker, they may need to be fried a few extra minutes. Also, the patties may be baked in an oven. Place in oven at 375 degrees for about ten minutes. It may help to take them out and flip them at some point.

I mixed it all together in a mixing bowl to start with. I think I had too much crab meat, but I had to use the meat, I didn't want it to go bad. Then I used my hands to make medium size balls and placed them in a baking pan.

I had the oven per-heated at 375. I popped the crab cakes in the oven until they got a little brown.

I served them with green beans and dinner rolls. Yummy!

XOXO

Nikki Darlin'