Blueberry Banana Cream Pie

I hope you are all ready for some serious recipes!  I'm sure I've mentioned before that I live in a MAJOR agricultural area.  I'm talking asparagus, corn, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, cherries, grapes, hops, peaches, apricots, etc.  My intentions are to fully take advantage of the bounty of the land this summer/fall!  So here's my first blueberry recipe of the year since we just made it back from the berry farm (we picked lots of these babies and are planning on going back for more.  We also got somewhere between 25-30 pounds of cherries.)

This pie turned out super delicious...while eating it, my husband kept saying "this is so good!"  It is an easy one to make, especially since the pie crust was pre-made.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Cream Pie

6 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup cold water
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped (just whipped, DO NOT add any thing else to it)
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 prepared Nilla wafer crust
additional blueberries for garnish, optional

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the condensed milk until smooth.  Then beat in the water and pudding mix. Fold in whipped cream.

In a resealable plastic bag, add bananas and lemon juice; toss until bananas are coated. Drain and discard lemon juice.
Spread with half of the cream cheese mixture into Nilla wafer crust. Top with bananas and blueberries. Spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Refrigerate leftovers. 

Yield: 8 servings. (Next time I’m going to do 2 pie crusts and double the bananas and blueberries to make 2 pies and top them off with some sweetened whipped cream.  As you can see in the picture these was tons on filling for just one pie)

Recipe Source:  Real Mom Kitchen

Mango Lassi

I have never had a pregnancy like this one...I am out of the "sicky" phase, but I still can't think of anything that ever sounds good.  Therefore, I have been trying to make myself eat a few healthy things at least since nothing sounds good.  This was my lunch today.  I've had it saved in my files for a very long time, and am glad I finally gave it a try!  I gulped down this entire 32 ounce smoothie by my lonesome, and it's probably all I will eat all day...but hey, at least I got in my daily fruit intake :)

It was very tasty, and now I am excited to keep the smoothie thing going and hopefully it will continue to taste good!  I had to improvise on a few things that I was out of, but it turned out well in the end.  Enjoy!

Mango Lassi

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (didn't have enough, so I used half peach)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk (ooops...ran out of milk this morning, water worked well in it's place)

6-8 frozen (or fresh) strawberries

handful of ice (or to taste)

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Recipe Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Creamy Berry Salad

I have had this recipe in my files for a long time...I'm talking like 3 years! I am really glad I finally tried this, it is super yummy! It reminds me a lot of a sherbet ice cream I had growing up that had raspberries and bananas in it.  The filling alone is yummy enough to eat on it's own!

I halved this recipe to eat with just my small family, but the full recipe will fill a large bowl, enough for any potluck or party.

Creamy Berry Salad

2 instant cheesecake jello pudding mix
1 8oz cool whip
1 large carton of strawberry yogurt (The big one, 36 oz I think it is)

Mix these ingredients together and refrigerate.

Just before serving, Add:

1 sm. bag of raspberries
1 sm. bag of mixed berries (thaw the berries before adding)
bananas

OR use all fresh berries:

2 containers fresh strawberries, 1 pint blackberries, 1 pint raspberries and 2 bananas. Add more as desired.

Mix gently and serve right away!

Recipe Source: Oh Sweet Basil

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

3 c.  rolled oats
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. honey
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. melted butter or low-fat butter alternative (such as coconut oil)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. Craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.  Stir in dried Craisins.  Spread into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Top with fresh fruit, peanut butter and jelly, or whatever else you like on your oatmeal!  Serve warm freshly out of the oven or warmed in microwave. 

Recipe Source:  my friend Rachel

Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

This poor recipe got lost in the mix the last few months...between me being prego and not wanting to cook, or blog about food...these babies have been sitting in my file since Easter!!  They were so yummy and got gobbled up super fast by our friends we shared Easter with.  Try them with those yummy green beans growing in your garden...I bet they are even better that way!

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

1/2 Costco bag of fresh green beans (frozen) or 3 cans whole green beans.  Boil with salted water until barely soft (unless using cans) 
  
1 lb bacon cut in half 
  
**Wrap 7-8 green beans with bacon.  Secure with toothpick and place in baking dish.  Drizzle topping over beans and sprinkle with garlic salt 
  
Topping: Dissolve 1 C brown sugar in 1/2 C melted butter.  Pour over green beans.  
  
Cover with foil.  Bake 45 min at 350.  Remove foil and return to oven and broil 15 minutes more to brown bacon until crisp.

Recipe Source:  It's Dinnertime

S'mores Brownies

Have you made s'mores yet this summer?!  We have definitely had our fair share.  My son makes me cook them up even in the wintertime, they are definitely his favorite treat.  That's why I knew these brownies were right up his ally!  

These are super simple to make and will give any s'mores lover a good alternative to lighting up the campfire to get their favorite treat.  Enjoy!

S'mores Brownies

1 box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker Original Supreme Premium brownie mix (or family size of another brand)
Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 graham crackers, broken into small pieces
2 giant size chocolate bars (about 10-12 oz. total) coarsely chopped


Heat oven to 350°F .  Cook brownies for 15 minutes.  While cooking, combine graham cracker pieces, chocolate and marshmallows into a large bowl.  Remove brownies from oven and sprinkle graham mixture over top.  Cook for additional 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Betty Crocker

britni

Copykat Maddox Raspberry Honey Butter

My grandparents lived in Brigham City when I was little, so naturally I've been to Maddox a time or two!  Their rolls are phenomenal (that's my next copykat recipe to tackle), and the yummy raspberry butter that comes with it just makes them that much more special.  Now if only I can find somewhere outside of Utah that sells turkey steaks...

I was trying to think of something different to eat on our "Utah scones" one morning, and this honey butter popped into my head, luckily there are many others out there that had already figured it out and I could just use their recipe.  Unfortunately today I didn't have raspberry preserves, but strawberry preserves were a nice substitute!! Enjoy :)

Copykat Maddox Raspberry/Strawberry Honey Butter

½ c butter, softened
½ c honey
½ c red raspberry preserves (strawberry preserves worked out well, too!)
½ tsp vanilla

Beat butter until soft. Add honey and preserves while mixer is running. Add vanilla and beat for 10 minutes. Store refrigerated, in a plastic container.

Recipe Source:  Norton Family Recipes

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I know it's June...I promise.  For some odd reason my 5-year old has been asking me for this soup for a few weeks, so I gave in this week on a day that was a little cooler.  It is a very tasty soup...comfort food at it's finest.  It makes LOTS, so if your family isn't huge, you will want to half this baby!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

6 carrots, peeled and diced
6 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
12 cups water
12 chicken bouillon cubes
1-2 cups diced chicken
1 cup butter-remember it makes A LOT
1 cups flour
8 ounce jar Cheez Whiz
2 cups egg noodles-cooked
Instructions

Bring water and bouillon to boil. Add vegetables, partially cook them. In separate pan melt butter and flour on medium heat. When smooth, add to vegetables. Turn heat to medium low. Add cheez whiz and chicken. Simmer 30 min or until vegetables are cooked. Add egg noodles and serve.

Recipe Source:  The Girl Who Ate Everything

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

I am finally starting to get out of the sick-y part of pregnancy.  Thank heavens!  My poor family hasn't had a normal home-cooked meal in weeks now.  I also haven't been baking as much as I normally do, and I must say it's been great getting back into the kitchen.  I had some Nutella in my pantry on the verge of needing to be thrown away, and when I saw this recipe I knew it was just what I needed to make.

These turned out really yummy and we gobbled them up quite quickly.  They aren't super puffy cookies, so don't expect that, but they are phenomenal!

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – I like crunchy)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

heaping 1/3 cup Nutella

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture. Add Nutella in dollops over the top of the dough.  Use a butter knife to swirl the Nutella through the dough.  Do not over mix.  Chill the dough in fridge for 15 minutes before spooning onto cookie sheet to firm the nutella.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes depending on how big you make your cookies.  Bake until slightly brown at edges.  Let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring.

yield: 3 dozen (I made my cookies quite large, you could definitely get 4 dozen)

Recipe Source:  The Sisters Cafe

Dill Pickle Dip

I am just getting to the end of my first trimester of my third pregnancy, and boy am I relieved!  I generally lose 10+ pounds during that time because food sounds gross.  I force down food that doesn't even sound good to keep my energy up.  I'm hoping the days of that will end any minute!  One day dill pickle dip actually sounded good, but I couldn't find any of the pre-made stuff anywhere...so I took it upon myself to make some.  It turned out great (as good as it could get for a sick prego lady)!
Dill Pickle Dip 

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 to 1 c. dill or kosher pickles (chopped fine)

Combine all ingredients. Chill to use.

Recipe Source:  Cooks.com

Sour Cream Rice

Cinco de Mayo is literally around the corner (tomorrow), and Mexican being my favorite kind of food, I am sure to join in the festivities!  I live in an agricultural area that has Mexican culture abounding!  In fact, for lunch my little fam is headed over to the big Cinco de Mayo festival in town, and I can't wait to get some awesome food!

This rice would make a great side to any spicy entree you are serving up for the big day.  Enjoy!

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste 

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.

In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1 cup pepper Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home Cooking

Creamy Bacon and Pea Pasta

I love a meal that can be done in one pan.  Pure awesomeness!  This one was definitely done in under 30 minutes, and the kiddos even liked it...which happens rarely.  Serve it up with a yummy green salad and some garlic bread, and just like that...dinner's done! 

Creamy Bacon and Pea Pasta

12 oz campanelle pasta (can use bow-tie or penne)
32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
12 oz evaporated milk (I used 2%)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 oz cream cheese (can use light)
8  oz cooked, chopped bacon (can use turkey bacon)
1/2 cup frozen peas
pepper, to taste 

In large skillet, combine pasta, evaporated milk, chicken stock, onion powder, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.  Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until pasta is done and liquid has reduced. 

Stir in parmesan, cream cheese, frozen peas and bacon.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.  Add pepper, to taste.


Recipe Source:  adapted from Plain Chicken

Crockpot Refried Beans

Continuing on my mission to share some ideas to have for your Cinco de Mayo dinner, today I'd like to share some side dishes you can serve up next to enchiladas or tacos.  All of these can be store-bought easily, but taste SO MUCH BETTER made from scratch!!

Crockpot Refried Beans

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and

chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black

pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

9 cups water (I used chicken broth instead)

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Recipe Source:  Allrecipes

Luscious Lemon Bars

Luscious Lemon Bars

Crust:  

1 c. soft butter
dash of salt
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour

Mix and press into a 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Lemon Filling:  

4 beaten eggs
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour 
6 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine flour and sugar, then mix in eggs and juice.  Pour into slightly cooled crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Sprinkle on powdered sugar.

Recipe Source:  church cookbook

Avocado Egg Salad

Do you still have a few hard-boiled eggs you are trying to get rid of?  I came across this recently and thought it sounded great...and it was!!!

Avocados take this egg salad to a whole new level! This was a yummy twist on an old favorite.  

Avocado Egg Salad

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 hard boiled egg whites, chopped
2 small avocados, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (we use Chobani)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
(a couple slices of cooked bacon would also be awesome on this!)

In a medium bowl, combine the hard boiled eggs and egg whites, avocado, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, green onion, and mustard. Mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serving suggestions: Spread between two slices of bread for an Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich. Eat with crackers, cut up veggies, on toast, or in a wrap. This salad is best eaten the day it's made.

Recipe Source:  Two Peas and Their Pod