Cajun Beef & Cheese Wraps

Cleaning out the cupboards is turning out to be not so bad after all. I found 4 sandwich steaks buried in the freezer so that went into planning my lunch, with leftovers for the kids to gobble up after school. I had 1/2 of an onion and green pepper left in the frig. from making spaghetti sauce. Those, together with the sandwich steaks, a couple of pieces of cheese, some canned mushrooms and some tortillas would be today's salvage.

Here's what I did:

Add 1/4 C. water to a medium-sized frying pan. Turn heat to medium-low.

Cut the 1/2 pieces of pepper and onions into strips, and then toss into the pan. Cook until tender crisp and all of the water has evaporated from the pan. Add 1 tsp. olive oil to the pan along with 1 small can of sliced mushrooms (drained well). Add 2 tsp. minced garlic and 2 tsp of cajun seasonings (the kind with no salt added). Saute until everything is heated through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Put pan back onto the stove. Slice or break frozen sandwich steaks into long strips and add to pan. Cook until all meat has been browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

To make 2 large wraps or 4 "kid" size wraps:

Lay a tortilla flat on a plate. On one side of the tortilla start with a layer of meat, followed by the onions and peppers, and then topped with 2 pieces of cheese. (I used Muenster). Roll up the tortilla, tucking the ends in as you roll it up.

Wash and dry the frying pan and put it back onto the stove on medium heat. Add the tortilla to the pan and turn to brown evenly all over.

Cut wrap in half and serve with a side of sauce*

Sauce

1/4 c. mayo

2 TBSP salsa

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Dessert

This ice cream dessert is sinfully good! I LOVE Andes Candies so mixing them together with ice cream sandwiches, whipped topping and hot fudge is over-the-top delicious!

What You Need
12 ice cream sandwiches
1 carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 jar hot fudge ice cream topping
1 tsp. mint extract
1 c. Andes Candies Chocolate Mint Chips


What You Do
Cut 4 ice cream sandwiches in half. Place 4 whole ice cream sandwiches side by side in an un-greased 9 x 9 in. pan. Lay 1- 1/2 piece of ice sandwich at the end of each of the 4 whole sandwiches. The bottom of the pan should be full.

Spread with a thin layer of whipped topping.

Pour the entire jar of hot fudge sauce into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 15 seconds. Stir in 1 tsp. of mint extract. Spoon 1/2 of the hot fudge sauce over the whipped topping.

Repeat layer with remaining ice cream sandwiches, then remaining hot fudge sauce and top with whipped topping.

Tent with Aluminum foil and freeze for at least 3 hrs. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving and sprinkle with Andes Candies mint chips. Cut into small squares.

Coconut Meringue Macaroons

One of my favorite cookies of all time is a chewy coconut macaroon. I originally made this meringue macaroon for Passover for FamilyCorner.com. It's a really good spin on a regular heavier macaroon. This cookie is much lighter because of the meringue.

What You Need
2 Egg Whites
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/8 tsp. Salt1
2/3 Sweetened Flaked Coconut
2/3 C. Sugar
2" Ice Cream Scoop


What You Do
Beat together egg whites, vanilla, & salt until it forms soft peaks. Slowly add sugar to the mix, and then beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold coconut into the meringue.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously grease a baking sheet. Using a 2" ice cream scoop, drop the coconut meringue mixture onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly browned. Watch them carefully as they will burn very easily.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Nothing smells or tastes better than fresh apple pie right out of the oven. However, if you are like me and there just aren't enough hours in the day to focus on making homemade apple pie, then these apple biscuits are for you! Great for breakfast or dessert!

What You Need

1 can Jumbo-sized biscuits

1 can apple pie filling

Cinnamon or apple pie spice

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1-1 1/2 tbsp milk

1 sandwich bag

scissors

bowl

What You Do

Bake the biscuits as directed on the can. Let cool.

Wash your hands and dry them.

Create a "basket" in the center of each biscuit by pressing your finger down into the center.

Gently press the inside dough into the bottom of the biscuit, reinforcing it so that the filling does not leak through the bottom.

Fill each biscuit with pie filling and lightly dust with cinnamon or apple pie spice.

** At this point, the biscuits can be stored in a sealed container for up to 8 hours with no problems.

To serve, place on a plate and drizzle with glaze. (see below)

Warm Biscuits: You can reheat before serving (if desired) by placing one biscuit on a microwave safe plate and heating on high power for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and drizzle with glaze as directed below.

For the Glaze: In a bowl, mix confectioner's sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth. Add more milk, a few drops at a time, until desired consistency. You can drizzle the icing with a spoon or use the following method: Fill a sandwich bag with confectioner's sugar icing, seal the bag and push the icing into one corner of the bag. Using scissors, slightly snip off this corner of the bag. Drizzle the icing liberally across the top of each biscuit.

Serve immediately.

Cherry Variation: If your sweet tooth calls for cherry (or peach for that matter!) simply substitute the desired pie filling for the apple.

Bread Machine Old World Peasant Bread

I love my bread machine! Many friends have taught me to use the dough cycle on the bread machine and then bake the bread in the oven for much better results. This hearty peasant bread reminds me of the bread they serve at Romano's Macaroni Grill.

To make one loaf:

3/4 C. water
1 1/2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 C. Bread Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
1 1/2 TBSP Italian Seasonings--this makes it
on the seasoned side. You can use less if you
like.
1 TBSP Yeast

Add ingredients into your bread machine as directed. Set on dough cycle.

Once the dough is finished, place it on a lightly oiled pan.

Shape into a rectangle that is no more than 2 inches high--it's rather flat.
Cover and let rise for one hour in a warm place. Once it's done rising, brush
the top with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with extra Italian seasoning --again,
you can skip this if you don't like heavy seasoning.

Bake @ 375 * for 25 minutes or until nice and brown.

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Covered Strawberries

These plump strawberries filled with cheesecake, dipped in chocolate and then drizzled are perfect for birthdays, parties, celebrations, and holidays.



What You Need:
Whole Strawberries
Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake filling
Good Quality Dipping Chocolate

What You Do:
Carefully wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems from the berries.

Using a small paring knife, core the center of each berry being careful to leave the bottom in tact.Fill a plastic baggie with the cheesecake filling. Fill each berry with cheesecake continuing on top of berry with a pretty design.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt dipping chocolate at 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth and creamy. Dip each strawberry into chocolate, covering 3/4 of the berry. Lay on baking sheet. Fill a second plastic baggie with chocolate and drizzle over the berries in a pretty design. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator.

Caramel Apple Spice Cookies

This pretty cookie came about tonight totally on a whim. I was looking around to see what ingredients I had on hand to make snacks for my kids' lunches. I found a spice cake in the cupboard so I pulled it out and set it on the table. I knew that neither kid would eat the spice cake if I put it into their lunches, so I decided on cake mix cookies.

Earlier this week I bought a bag of Caramel Apple Hershey Kisses and was just waiting to do something with them. I decided to put them together with the cake mix cookies to see what I would come up with. The result turned out to be really good. Caramel, apple flavoring and spice cake...what a great way to celebrate autumn!


Caramel Apple Spice Cookies
Ingredients:1 spice cake mix in a box
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
sugar
Caramel Apple Hershey Kisses



To Make the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the cake mix, oil and eggs until completely blended. Roll into quarter-sized balls. Roll the spice balls into sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Slightly flatten with the cookie using the bottom of a flat cup.

Bake for 10 -11 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately push one Kiss into each cookie. Allow cookies to cool on tray for 2 minutes then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.





Reviving this oldie but goodie because the candy kisses are out in the store again. :)

Linking up to: Friday Food @ Mom Trends

Rainy Night Visitor

This little guy can be found sitting on my front door mat every night that it rains. We've watched him grow up. Isn't he cute?

Blueberry Brunch Cake

Anyone who knows me knows that I am just not a morning person. I swear that I can't function before 9:00 a.m. Try as I might, I am still not used to getting out of bed before the roosters, to get the kids ready for school. When I reached into the frig. to grab the milk for their cereal, I came across a container of fresh blueberries that needed to be used or soon they would have to be thrown away. What did I do? Well, right that minute, I put them back on the shelf and shut the door...it was too early to think about it. ;)

As 9:00 a.m. rolled around, I was finally awake and ready to focus on the blueberries. I checked the cupboards to make sure I had all of the basic ingredients for a "cake". I did. So off I went to find a bowl. Oh, no...I have no eggs. That's never stopped me before - so with paper and pen in hand, I sat down to write up a recipe. Here is what I came up with:


Blueberry Brunch Cake

Preheat oven to 350*

Grease and flour a 9x9 baking dish.


Basic Cake
1 1/2 C. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar ( I ended up using a generic
version of Splenda for baking)
1/4 C. room temp butter
3/4 C. milk

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with an electric mixer. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the greased and floured pan.


Middle Filling
2 C. fresh blueberries, washed thoroughly and dried
2 tsp lemon juice.

Toss blueberries and lemon juice together. Spread blueberries over the batter.

Spoon the remaining batter over the blueberries.



Top off with the crumbly topping mix below.

Crumbly Topping Mix
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed tight
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/3 C. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. room temp. butter


Cream everything together until the mix resembles course crumbs. (any crunchy topping would taste delicious on this). Sprinkle over entire top of cake.


Bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm by itself, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or in a bowl with some milk over it.


While it was baking, my husband got out of bed and commented on how good it smelled in the house. (he's a third-shifter so on his days off he comes and goes at weird hours) I had to agree, it was smelling so yummy! After about 53 minutes, it was nice and brown so I removed it from the oven. It looked great! Of course we couldn't wait to eat it. It was very good. I really liked it because it's not overly sweet. It had a great blueberry taste to it. This turned out to be a great way to use up extra fruit. I think that you could use any berry or even peaches with this and it would be great.



Here it is...Enjoy!

Easy Chicken & Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo

Think you have no time to prepare restaurant quality food at home? Well, you’re wrong. If you have 30 minutes, you can serve your family this wonderful dish that they are sure to enjoy.

This has become a favorite dish of my family.

You can see the complete recipe for this dish at MomsMenu.com.

Corned Beef, Potatoes & Carrots

This is one of my family's favorite meals. I like the fact that it's so easy to make. All you have to do is boil the corned beef with some spices for approximately 2 1/2 hrs. With 45 minutes remaining on the meat, add cubed potatoes and carrots and cook until they are tender. That's it! A one pot meal. YUM!

Goblin Grub

Feed this yummy treat mix to all of Goblins in your neighborhood. They will surely come back for more! Super quick to make, mix it up and eat it in under 15 minutes!

What You Need

Rice Chex cereal

salted peanuts

raisins

thin pretzel sticks

candy corn

Gummi Worms (optional for decoration)

chocolate chips for melting

What You Do

The ingredients amounts will vary depending

on your likes and dislikes. For this mix,

I've used:

8 oz. Rice Chex cereal

6 oz. peanuts

6 oz raisins

6 oz candy corn

8 oz pretzel sticks
Dump 6 oz chocolate chips into a separate

microwave-safe bowl

In a big bowl, mix all of the above ingredients except chocolate chips. On a baking sheet, spread the mixture out in a thin layer.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 30-second intervals until completely melted.

Drizzle chocolate over the treat mix. Slide the tray in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to speed along the hardening time for the chocolate. Once the chocolate has hardened, break the treat mix into pieces.

To serve, pile high in a big bowl. Garnish with Gummi Worms around the edge of the bowl. Store treat mix in a Ziploc bag.

Frankenmallows

These adorable Frankenstein treats are easy for kids to make and are frightfully fun to eat! Make a whole bunch of them and wrap them in cellophane for a fun party favor or classroom treat.

What You Need:

marshmallows

green food coloring paste

chocolate chips

small round candies for eyes

thin pretzel sticks

popsicle sticks

2 new paint brushes

block of Styrofoam or Styrofoam cup

What You Do:

Note: Directions are for one Frankenmallow.

Stick a popsicle stick up through the bottom of a marshmallow so that the marshmallow rests on top of the stick forming a "head". Using a paintbrush and the green food coloring, paint the entire marshmallow green.

**Note about using the green paste food coloring: It takes just a very little bit of the food coloring to color the whole marshmallow. It was easier for me to put a tiny bit of coloring on the tip of my paint brush then brush it first on a piece of wax paper, then onto the marshmallow.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Dip the top of the marshmallow into the chocolate to create his "hair". Using the other clean paintbrush, paint his hair peaks onto his forehead.

At this point, stick the sticks into a piece of Styrofoam or something that will keep the head standing up-right. Sticking thme into the bottom of a Styrofoam cup will work as well. Place the whole thing into the refrigerator for 2 minutes to harden the chocolate.

Next, using the melted chocolate as glue, stick 2 round candies onto the head for eyes. Paint on a chocolate mouth. Break off the ends of a pretzel stick. Stick one piece on each side of Frankie's head, poking through the marshmallow, for his "bolts".

I hope that you enjoy them!

My First Blog Award!

Amanda, from Amanda's Crafty Corner really surprised me and brightened my day by honoring me with my first blogger award this morning! This comes as a complete surprise to me and I am so very happy about it. Thank you so much, Amanda! :)

The rules are:

1. Put the logo on your blog

2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3. Nominate 7 (minimum 5) other blogs

4. Add links to them on your blog

5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blogs.


So far, my nominations are:

My Bloggy & Me - She has so many wonderful recipes on her blog. The pictures that go along with the recipes make you want to reach through your computer screen and grab a bite!

Life as a Children's Minister -I've just recently talked to Mrs. Tara when I came across her blog while looking for idea for dinner menus. I immediately felt as though I had known her for years. Her writing is from the heart with humor mixed into it. I really like her blog!

View from my treehouse-this is a newer blog like mine. Sharon is a longtime friend who I met through FamilyCorner.com. I find her blog to be very calming - I think it's the combination of her writings, the gorgeous pictures and the colors of her blog that really relaxes me...and that's certainly welcoming to me!

Starting a Long Journey with Allergy Shots

My wishes from last night didn't come true...I still feel off kilter.

A few months ago I underwent allergy testing. What fun I had that day--NOT! I was stuck with needles 75 times in my back, and then if I remember correctly, 19 went into my left arm. I'd heard a lot of horror stories so I wasn't sure what to expect. I realized after the first few pricks that it wasn't going to be as bad as I had thought. The worst part was waiting to see if I was actually allergic to anything....oh, and let's not forget the the itching that I couldn't do anything about. Other than looking like a sieve, I was happy to see that I had survived.

I found out that I'm highly allergic dogs, cats, grass, ragweed, mold (inside & outside), and something else that slips my mind right now. So it seems that I was tortured every spring and fall for the last 25 years for no real reason. I could've taken the shots long ago. But who knew? My allergist prescribed meds. which have helped me tremendously and I've opted to take allergy shots--for what I think will be an eternity. Today marks the start of getting 2 shots a day, 2 x a week for about a year. Wish me luck!

Flu Bug Go Away and Don't Come Back Another Day!

I have a feeling that this is going to be a bad day. I woke up with a killer headache - it feels like someone is hitting my head with a hammer. :( To top it off, I've been fighting a stomachache all weekend. My daughter was sent home from school a few days ago with the same symptoms. It took her a few days to get over it but she is a happy-go-lucky girl once again.

Just what we need now. UGH! I have things that I need to get done but it looks like the couch is going to win out...at least for a little bit. Sitting here typing this, I can't even see straight. Why am I fighting it? Hopefully this won't last long.


I hope to be back at the kitchen table chatting it up again real soon. :)

I received this email this evening from Donna-Marie, a friend that I met through FamilyCorner.com. She lives in the one of the most beautiful places in the world to me...Maine. I am captivated by the beauty of Maine...the rocky beaches, the lighthouses and the gorgeous colors in the fall. I have never been, but hopefully someday we will make it there!

The Leaves
by anonymous

The leaves had a wonderful frolic.
They danced to the wind's loud song.
They whirled, and they floated, and scampered.
They circled and flew along.

The moon saw the little leaves dancing.
Each looked like a small brown bird.
The man in the moon smiled and listened,
And this is the song he heard.

The North Wind is calling, is calling,
And we must whirl round and round,
And then, when our dancing is ended,
We'll make a warm quilt for the ground

Beautiful! I can wait for the leaves to start changing colors!

Thanks Donna Marie!


**This poem is also posted at scholastic.com. Check it out! Get your kids involved in reading anything & everything!

Plastic Cup Crow

Isn't this the cutest little crow ever?

A friend of mine, Amanda - from Amanda's Crafty Creations, made this.

(Just click on the title to see the directions on how make it!)

Cinnamon Sugared Mixed Nuts

These sweet and spicy nuts would make a perfect hostess gift . Warning - You will probably not be able to stop at just one handful of nuts. Be sure to make lots of them!

These have become a favorite in our house once the weather starts cooling off.

What You Need:

2 lbs Raw Assorted Mixed Nuts

1 1/2 C. Sugar

3-4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 C. Water

Parchment Paper

Cookie Sheet

What You Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the nuts out on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes to lightly toast them. Allow to cool. Do not turn off the oven.

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cinnamon, & water. Stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar -takes about 5 minutes. Quickly stir the nuts into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure to coat all of the nuts evenly with the syrup.

Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the nuts out onto the sheet in a thin layer. Bake 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure that the nuts are baking evenly. Watch the nuts carefully to make sure that they do not burn. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once the nuts have cooled they will become crunchy. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Sniffles Candy Hose Noses

Can you think of anything more disgusting than licking the drippings from your nose? My husband couldn't resist buying these candy-filled noses for our kids. The are gross! They kids were good sports and allowed me to take their pictures. If you look closely at the first picture you will see the jelly dripping from the nose into my sons' mouth. YUCK!

Very Handy Measuring Cup

While out searching for some bargains at our local GoodWill, I found this Pampered Chef Measure-All® Cup. It was brand new and the best part is that it was only .99! (it retails online for $9.50)

I love finding good deals! :)

Lunchbox Sandwich Kabobs

Kids will love finding these kabobs in their lunchboxes. They are the perfect size for little hands, making a lot less mess to clean up afterwards. Made from all of their favorite sandwich ingredients, moms can rest assured that their kids are eating healthy and not trading with their friends for something else!

My daughter was so happy to find these in her lunchbox. They are now a favorite. Two of the kabobs are perfect for her.....and don't dare forget the ranch dressing for them.

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Packed into a lunchbox or eaten as an after school snack, these muffins taste just like your kids' favorite corn dogs - without the awkward stick. They're quick and easy to make and can be eaten hot or cold. Yummy!

I came up with this recipe when my kids kept asking to take corn dogs in their lunches to school. The best part about them is that they taste good warmed in the microwave or at room temp. Don't forget the ketchup for a dipper! ;)

Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The scent of oatmeal raisin cookies wafting through the house is a sure sign that fall is on its way! Greet your kids after school with a plate of warm cookies and a big glass of milk. This will surely put smiles on their faces.

These cookies are great! We love them warm and chewy, straight out of the oven.

Click on the title for the yummy recipe!

Our North Carolina Sky

Storm clouds rolling in.


A rainbow after the storm.


Beautiful NC sunset.


Yet another beautiful sunset.


One last sunset.

Like Mom, Like Son

My son looks as though he fits right in with our local news crew, doesn't he? He's our "talker"..our politician as we call him. He's a deep thinker and an analyzer. He's like me when it comes to being able to relate to people.

My Daddy, My Hero

This is one of my favorite pictures of my husband and daughter. She really is "daddy's little girl". She is a thinker like him... full of common sense and really good at using her hands to "fix" things.

Triple Layer Pumpkin Cake

I can't take credit for tonight's dessert -Triple Layer Pumpkin Cake. It's from the back of the box of Krusteaz's Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread. It was really good, although my hubby would've loved for me to have added raisins to it. My cupboards are hardly ever without at least one box of raisins; but with the kids in school, they've taken them in their lunches. ;)



Triple Layer Pumpkin Cake

For Pumpkin Cake
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 pouch Quick Bread Mix

Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*

For Cake:
Blend all ingredients until moistened. Spoon batter into a lightly greased 15 x 10 jelly roll pan. Bake 13-16 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut cake into 3 even pieces.

For Cream Cheese Icing:
Place cream cheese, butter, sugar & vanilla in bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth. To frost, place one cake layer onto serving plate. Spread half of icing over cake layer, leaving side unfrosted. Place second layer over iced layer and spread with remaining icing. Top with thrid cake layer. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

It's kid approved, too!

Easy Morning Breakfast Ideas

Weekday mornings are crazy around here and getting my kids motivated to eat breakfast can make things even crazier. Besides the favorite cold cereal, check out some of my recipes that help to make mornings easier around here:

Breakfast Pizza - Get the kids to the table in no time in the morning... tell them you're making
pizza for breakfast. Within 30 minutes you'll be serving a warm, delicious breakfast that the whole family will enjoy.



Summer Fruit Kabobs - Who says that fast food can't be healthy or nutritious? Kids will love to make this easy fruit recipe!


Cinnamon Bunnies - What could be better than waking up to the smell of cinnamon buns early in the morning?


Bite Size Zucchini Muffins - Serve these muffins as a quick, on-the-go breakfast, a lunchbox treat or an after school snack. There's so much flavor packed into these little snacks that your kids won't even know that they are eating something with a vegetable in them!

Where did my blog name come from?

I grew up having "kitchen table" talks--not only would my sister and I talk about our day with Mom and Dad at dinnertime, I also spent plenty of time sitting there talking with my Mom and our neighbors. It was the place where my sister sat for hours one day- and she ended up falling asleep there because she wouldn't eat her Brussel sprouts! When my brother and sister-in-law would visit, we would always end up around the kitchen table. When friends came over, the table became a homework center or a board game table.

Our kitchen table was a meeting place for whoever came to visit us. :) That's my hope for this blog--I want it to become my Internet "kitchen table"- a place where I can meet and chat with friends and soon-to-be new friends!

It's FOOTBALL SEASON!

We are HUGE football fans! You know what they say...."You can take the girl out of the 'Burgh' but you can't take the 'Burgh' out of the girl! GO STEELERS!!! I wear my Steelers colors proudly here in NC. I've also met many new friends this way! YAY!

Of course, this goes for all of us except the New Yorker in the family (or New Yorkian if you listen to Brett Favre)....then it's GO JETS!! You should be here with us on Sundays when we are all screaming at the TV!

I made this Buffalo Chicken dip to eat during yesterday's

afternoon games. It was really good!

1-8oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups of chicken --I used canned chicken breast and it worked fine
1/2 C. ranch dressing
1/2 C. Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (don't sub or the taste may change)
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix cream cheese and ranch dressing together until creamy. Set aside. Mix chicken and wing sauce together and stir into the cream cheese mixture. Stir in 1/2 C. cheddar cheese. Spoon into a 9 in. pie plate. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C. cheese on top of mixture. Bake at 350* for 20 -25 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. You can also make this in a small crockpot and keep warm on low. Serve with tortilla chips. **Notes: this was really good with just a hint of "hot" but for more of a kick, I will add another 1/3 C. of Frank's Hot Sauce to it the next time that I make it.

Hi Everyone!

Well, it's official....I'm finally going to start blogging. I'm not really sure about this stuff just yet, so bear with me if I screw things up a bit until I get the hang of things. lol!

Who am I?
I am married to a wonderful guy named Bill. We've been married almost 12 yrs.
I'm Mom to Andy & Alexis.

I'm also a kids & family recipe creator/writer for FamilyCorner.com and MomsMenu.com. I love my job! I'm also the assistant administrator for the forums on FC and MM.

I am from southwestern PA; my hubby is from Upstate NY. His job brought us together in PA and then brought us as a family to NC.

I love spending time with my family. One of our favorite things to do is to hop in the car and drive to an area around us that is new to us and then explore it. We also love to eat--sounds funny, huh? I'm not kidding....we love trying new foods, strange foods and making our own creations at home. -see why I have the perfect job? ;)

When you stop here to check things out, make sure to say "hi"! I love meeting and talking to people from all over the world.

Hugs,