MNB Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be co-hosting the Meet New Bloggers Blog Hop with Nathan from

Life & Everything Else In Between!!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"One BIG Social Media Blog Hop"
First Monday of Each Month

Welcome to the MNB Blog Hop! This is a great opportunity to meet some new bloggers in more than one way! You can like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, follow them via GFC, or by using the new Linky Followers tool which I encourage you to do! The blog hop will run on the first Monday of every month and each month I'll be hosting a giveaway for people that link-up! This month I'm giving away a $25 E-Giftcard to Amazon.com and a 200x200 Ad spot for November on Life & Everything Else In Between! Be sure to get comfortable, follow the rules, and enter the giveaway! I'm so excited to be able to present a giveaway!
Giveaway is today only. Starts now and ends Tuesday at 12:01am!

Rules of the Hop

This Hop is easy weasy part cheezie!

1. Follow your host and the four co-hosts below via FB, Twitter, GFC, and Linky Followers (If you or they have the widget) by clicking on the links below and going to their blog. The host and co-hosts are also the first five link-ups located at the bottom of this blog post!

(Host) Nathan @ Life & Everything Else In Between

(Co-Host) Kristin @ Tales From The Nook

(Co-Host) Julia @ Julia's Math

(Co-Host) Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen

(Co-Host) Heather @ The Life Unexpected

2.  Be sure to come back and follow at least two participants in the blog hop and leave a comment on their blog! Feel free to follow anybody you want, after all, the hop is for you to meet new bloggers!

3. Enter the Giveaway to Tweet about the Blog Hop!

4. Most importantly: Link-Up your blog (not a specific post) at the bottom of the page

5. Feel free to grab the button for your side bar!

<div align="center"><a href="http://spreenmvp.blogspot.com/search/label/MNB%20Blog%20Hop" title="MNB Hop @ Life & Everything Else In Between"><img src="http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii546/spreenmvp/newmnbhoplogo920final_zpsed209aa8.png" alt="MNB Hop @ Life & Everything Else In Between" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

If you would like to co-host in the future send me an email

lifeandeverythingelseinbetween@live.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mom's Test Meal Mondays #10

 

AAAHHHHH!!!  It's October!!!  Only 3 months until Christmas!!!  Can someone please tell me where 2012 has gone??

 

Before I get too off track rambling about my life passing by, lets get to this week's party!!  Thank you all so much for coming back each week to link up your recipes!!  I love seeing what you've been making!  And I want to say Welcome to the new faces we're getting!  I love meeting new people & I'm so happy you've decided to come party with me!!

 

So now let me introduce you to this week's co-host ~ Lindsay from Mommy's Sweet Confessions!  This lady is a dessert lovers best friend!!  If you ever need a good laugh, you have to go check out her Toddler Tales!!  Every mom will appreciate the humor found there!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hi everyone!  First off, thank you so much to Jaime for reaching out and inviting me to be a co-host for one of her fabulous link parties, truly an honor! 

 

My name is Lindsay, and I am the blogger behind Mommy's Sweet Confessions.  I love to bake and cook, I am a chocoholic, and I love sweets.  I try to bake whenever my energetic three year old son and my one year old darling son decide that they are going to let me.  Believe me, they like to make it a challenge! 

 

This recipe for Taco Chili Mac Skillet is my absolute favorite go-to one pan meal.  It is flavorful, hearty, easy to make, satisfying, and it only takes one pan. What could be better?  This can probably be made with staples that you have in your cupboard and freezer.  You can even substitute ingredients that you do have, if you don't have some of these.  Kidney beans are great, white beans are great, any shaped pasta will work perfect.  Have no fear, substitute as needed!  This is a meal that works for you, not a meal you work for. The spices can be adjusted to your families liking, the way it is written is a bit on the spicy side.  Not drink three gallons of milk to put the fire out spicy, but wake up your taste buds spicy.  It is an incredibly adaptable recipe so play around and find what works for you.

Taco Chili Mac Skillet Recipe 
(Adapted from The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook recipe for Chili-Pasta Skillet)
Makes approximately 8, 8 oz. servings

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground turkey (or ground chicken or ground beef)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz uncooked orzo pasta
• 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe's enchilada sauce in the bottle)
• 2 Tbs. dried minced onions or 1/2 cup chopped fresh onion (I used dried)
• 1 Tbs. taco seasoning
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups water

Garnish:

• shredded cheese
• cilantro
• sour cream
• tortilla chips

Directions:

1.  In a large skillet brown and thoroughly cook the ground turkey.  
2. Once it is cooked, add the beans, green chilis, diced tomatoes (do not drain), orzo, enchilada sauce, dried onions, chili powder, chipotle powder, taco seasoning, garlic salt and the water.
3. Stir well, cover, and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer on medium-low until the orzo is cooked through and the water has been absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 20-30 minutes.
5. More water may need to be added as it cooks, so if it is looking dry, or the pasta is not cooked but the water is absorbed, just add more, it will simmer away and do no harm.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Top with any garnishes desired.

Just wanted to say thank you again to Jaime for allowing me to be a part of the wonderful blog she has going on right here.  Hope you all enjoy the recipe!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Thank you so much Lindsay for sharing such a great dinner recipe with us!!  Now y'all be sure to head over to her page to pick out a great dessert to finish up this meal!!  I'm thinking these Chewy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies would be a great choice!

 

 

Just the reminders:

• Myself & Lindsay would love to have you as new friends!! Please take a minute to follow us both via GFC, Twitter, FB, or any other social media you prefer
• Please feel free to grab the button in the sidebar or add a direct link back to this week's party
• And finally, go make some new friends ~ spend a few minutes checking out some other recipes that you might want to try out yourself & comment! Everyone loves comments!!
• Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use the photos along with a link back to your post in the Mom's Test Meal Mondays Features post & on Mom's Test Kitchen's Social Media Networks

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!

Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn #SundaySupper

Show of hands ~ who has forgotten to pull meat out of the freezer until it was time to start making dinner?  Maybe forgotten that meat needed to marinate for at least a few hours before being cooked??  Don't be ashamed, there's no judgement here.  I did the marinating thing just this last week.  Thought I just seasoned the chicken and then cooked it.  Nope, it needed to marinate.

 

 

So what do you do when your best laid dinner plans get shot to hell?  Well, if you're me, you grab a box of Chicken Helper from the pantry (the whole grain kind, I do try to eat the healthy processed food), some frozen chicken fries & some frozen carrots and boom, you've got a dinner.

This week for #SundaySupper, our wonderful host Amber from Mama's Blissful Bites has asked us all to bring a dish that requires a limited number of ingredients to the table.  I'm talking 5 ingredients or less people!!

 

PEANUT BUTTER CUP POPCORN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag microwave popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

LETS COOK:

1. Cook popcorn according to package directions. Empty into a bowl with a lid being sure to remove any unpopped kernels.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, peanut butter, chocolate chips & vanilla.
3. Cook on low heat until everything is melted & smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and toss with a spoon to coat.
5. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
6. Store covered in the fridge.        

*Optional ~ sprinkle powdered sugar on top prior to serving


THIS RECIPE IS PROUDLY SHARED AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES

 

 

Need a little more inspiration for those days you just don't feel like cooking an elaborate meal?  My #SundaySupper friends have got you covered:

 

BREAKFAST, STARTERS, BUTTER & JAMS:

• Pa Jun or Korean Scallion Pancakes – Kimchi Mom
• Homemade Instant Oatmeal – Home Cooking Memories
• GlutenFree Apricot Bacon Onion and Cheese Spread or Dip – Cooking Underwriter
• Caprese Bites – My Catholic Kitchen
• So Simple Pizza Puffs – Hip Foodie Mom
• Toast Topper #11: Allspice Peach Butter – What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Balsamic Jam – The Messy Baker Blog
• Broccoli and Feta Frittata – Kwistin’s Favorites

MAIN DISHES:

• Fresh Basil and Tomato Pasta – I Run For Wine
• Gulasch – Galactosemia in PDX
• Spaghetti with Kale and Sausage – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Appley Kielbasa – The Meltaways
• Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes – Juanita’s Cocina
• Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches – Supper for a Steal
• Sun Dried Tomato and Sausage Pasta – Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Crockpot Chicken Tacos – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Shrimp With Chili-Lime Sauce – Magnolia Days
• Peanut Butter Noodles – In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinated Flank – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Beef Tenderloin with Stilton Pecan Butter – Noshing With The Nolands
• Herbed Butter Pork Chops – Brie’s Bites
• Creamy Ham Linguine – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Pesto, Tomato & Feta Pizza – Momma’s Meals
• Quick Black Bean Burritos – Diabetic Foodie
• Lumachine with Fresh Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Stuffed Shells – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Potato Kugel – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Garlic Butter Fried Rice – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Goat Cheese Alfredo – Family Foodie
• Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb – Maroc Mama
• Sweet and Nutty Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – Mama.Mommy.Mom.
• Baked Sweet Potato with Maple-Jalapeno – Comfy Cuisine
• Freezable Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwiches – Big Bear’s Wife
• Grilled Polenta Cakes – Lovely Pantry

DESSERTS:

• Nutella Ice Cream – Shockingly Delicious
• Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Mint M&M’s – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Mango Parfait with Greek Yogurt & Silvered Almonds – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Honey Macaroons – Pippis In the Kitchen Again
• Strawberry Frozen Yogurt – Damn Delicious
• Homemade Caramel Sauce – Chocolate Moosey
• Easy Chocolate Chilli Fudge – Soni’s Food for Thought
• White-Chocolate Raspberry Puff Pastry Doughnuts – The Weekend Gourmet
• Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars – In The Kitchen With KP
• Chocolate-Caramel Ice Cream – Basic N Delicious
• Pumpkin and Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake – Baker Street

DRINKS:

• Five Most Food Friendly Wines – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Don't forget to join us on Twitter throughout the day today for #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite 5 Ingredient Recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your favorite 5 ingredient or less recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!       

Thanks for joining us around the table for #SundaySupper!

 

Mom's Test Meal Mondays Features #9

Seriously, can y'all believe we are just days away from October??  Where in the world has the time gone?!?!  And it is still so stinking hot here!  The high yesterday was still in the 90s!  This is not Fall temperatures!!

 

But enough of my complaining, lets get to the features!!  First a big shout out Thank You to my fabulous co-host, Jessica from @ Home Take 2!!!  She got us all in the Fall Spirit with her amazing recipe for French Toast with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling! 

 

So now lets see what y'alls Fall Favorites were...

 

#3

 Hamburger Minestrone
from My Biscuits Are Burning

 

 

 

#2

Nilla Wafer Treats
from The Mandatory Mooch

 

 

 

#1

 Slow-Cooker Dinner Rolls
from Growing Up Gabel

 

 

 

 

 

All three of you feel free to grab a features button! And congratulations!!

The features will be pinned to my MTM Monday's Features Pinterest Board

which you can check out HERE, tweeted & posted on FB !

 

<a href="http://momstestkitchen.blogspot.com"> <img src="http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r558/jailynmtk/featured1.jpg" border="0"/> </a>

 

Thank you all again for joining me this week! And I hope to see y'all again this Monday as we try to make our lives a little easier by sharing our favorite one-pot dishes!  If you can fix it in one pot or one bowl, we want to see it!!  And I will be joined by the ever so wonderful Lindsay from Mommy's Sweet Confessions!  If you need a chocolate fix, she's got you covered!!  But this Monday she's sharing a savory recipe with us that I know y'all are going to love!  So be sure to join me & Lindsay Sunday night @ 9 pm (CST)!!

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com!  I've got just a couple spots open in October and then we're ready for November co-hosts!  I'd love to have you!



Candy Cars

The Hubs has worked his whole life for his dad.  His grandfather started wholesaling cars & then his dad started and now they own a small car dealership and it's all the Hubs knows. 

Already trying to drive!

So needless to say, Princess P has spent alot of time over the past two plus years running around a car lot!  And she loves it!  As soon as we turn off the highway heading to the lot she starts saying over and over "Daddy, PaPa, Uncle Joel?"  She's got oil running through her veins just like her daddy!  She spends more time playing with matchbox cars then she does with baby dolls!

After playing with this car, she thought all wheels should spin!

So when I saw this cute little snack on Pinterest, I knew Princess P would love it!

CANDY CARS

 

INGREDIENTS:

• mini candy bars ~ I used 3 Musketeers Fun Size
• teddy grahams
• M&Ms
• chocolate frosting

LETS COOK:

1. Holding the candy bar by the sides, gently press the teddy graham down into the candy bar ~ somewhere around the middle/towards the back
2. Allocate 4 M&Ms of the same color for each car
3. Using a knife, dab just a small amount of the frosting onto the back of the M&M
4. Stick the M&M onto the side of the candy bar to become the car's wheels
5. Repeat with remaining candy bars

RECIPE INSPIRED BY: How's That       

Return The Favor Hop {BlogLovin'}

Welcome back this week for another round of the Bloglovin' hop!

Leave your email address to be notified every week before
the link-up goes live as a reminder! Never be at the bottom of the list again ;)

If you would like to be a co-host in the future, please send an email to chelsea@yourstrulyblog.com and let me know what type of hop {Twitter, Facebook, GFC, Bloglovin'} you'd most like to co-host!

<center> <a href="http://www.yourstrulyblog.com/search/label/hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img15/7789/returnthefavorhop.png" /></a></center>

Follow your host & co-hosts
 

Share the hop with others, whether it be via Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc!
Come link up with @chelseaoliviaxo for the Bloglovin' hop to find new Bloglovin' followers! http://www.yourstrulyblog.com/2012/09/return-favor-hop-week-8-bloglovin.html

Feel free to copy the code for the button from above and put it up on your blog.

Take a couple minutes to visit some other people who have linked up and let them know you stopped by from the Return The Favor hop - and hopefully they will return the favor!

Chelsea from Yours Truly
Abbey from The Making of a Mess

Kimberly from Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl
Jaime from Mom's Test Kitchen
Katie from Understated Whimsy
Holly from Running In Stilettos
Tiffany from Fashion In The Forest

It's Time For A Change

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin?  I've felt this way for pretty much the past 2 years.  See, I've never been an overly skinny person, I've always been what I would call 'thick'.  I have pretty full thighs and what my mother 'lovingly' calls a shelf booty.

But prior to getting pregnant, I was ok with how I looked.  I was ok not being super skinny.  As y'all know, I like food.  :)

But now, over 2 years after having Princess P, I just can't lose the weight.  I have lost some but other than being pregnant, I have never weighed as much as I do now.  And I just really don't like it.  So now I'm ready for a change. 

So here's the plan... I've tried counting calories, I've tried getting on a consistent exercise plan.  I'm not good with the follow through :(  So, I am now joining forces with Creative Bioscience & trying out their Diet 1234 plan for the next 90 days.  The main reason I really like this plan is it doesn't require me to count calories; I just have to make healthy choices & be conscience of the choices I'm making!  This plan actually fits my lifestyle, my very busy mother of a 2 year old lifestyle. 

So I'm excited for the upcoming months!  I'm hopeful that I'm going to see some changes!!  And I hope that y'all will join me!  I'll update you throughout the next 90 days on my progress and let you know how I'm doing on the diet!

And if any of you other bloggers are interested in joining in, head on over to Creative Bioscience & fill out this form!  We can do this challenge together!! :)

Mom's Test Meal Mondays #9

It's Fall y'all!!!  I'm so happy cooler weather is coming soon!  This week we are going to share all of our Fall favorites!!  Anything Fall inspired ~ link it up!!  And for you crafty bloggers, feel free to link up some fall inspired DIY projects!  I need all the inspiration I can get to convince me its supposed to be cool outside!  I think the high yesterday was still almost 100 degrees here! 

To get us kicked off, my wonderful co-host, Jessica from @ Home Take 2 is sharing a wonderfully delicious fall recipe that I know y'all are going to love!!  If y'all have never checked out Jessica's site, you really should!  She's a wonderful resource for so many different avenues!  She covers everything from blogging tips to couponing to recipes!  Plus she hosts some great linky parties too!! 




Can you say yum?  My son is not a breakfast food lover, and indulged in not one, but TWO of these for breakfast this morning.  Okay… he didn’t finish the second, but he is a lightweight so that is saying A LOT about how good this is!

Smooth some of my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling onto a piece of bread, cover with another slice, and then soak both sides of the ‘sandwich’ with beaten eggs and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cook in a lightly sprayed frying pan for a couple minutes on each side.  Top with syrup and whipped cream if you’re so indulged.  I didn’t have any, but this would also be delicious with chopped pecans.


Seriously, how delicious does this sound???  So now lets get this party started!  I can't wait to see y'alls Fall Favorites!!

Just the reminders:

• Myself & Jessica would love to have you as new friends!! Please take a minute to follow us both via GFC, Twitter, FB, or any other social media you prefer
• Please feel free to grab the button in the sidebar or add a direct link back to this week's party
• And finally, go make some new friends ~ spend a few minutes checking out some other recipes that you might want to try out yourself & comment! Everyone loves comments!!
• Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use the photos along with a link back to your post in the Mom's Test Meal Mondays Features post & on Mom's Test Kitchen's Social Media Networks

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!

A #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party

What better way to kick off the Fall season than to get the opportunity to join in a #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party hosted by Cindy from Cindy's Recipes and Writings.  I'm so honored to be amongst such great company!

I would have to say Fall is probably my favorite season.  I love the smells of pumpkin & cinnamon that always seem to fill the air.  I love weather that makes you need a jacket in the mornings but flip-flops in the afternoons.  I love being able to open my windows and doors and feel the crisp cool breeze that comes with this time of year.  I love the almost non-existent electricity bills I have to help make up for the Texas summers.  Ahhh, it's such a magical time!

But what I love most about Fall is that this time of year inspires me to get back in my kitchen.  I love to bake.  That's how my love of food & cooking started.  Forget learning how to make chicken, give me cakes or cookies to bake! 

So to kick off my fall season, I happily played in my kitchen making these absolutely delicious Country Apple Dumplings.  There's no other word to describe them but simply delicious!

COUNTRY APPLE DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 small Granny Smith Apples, diced
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cans (8 rolls each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 cup butter
• 1 & 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup citrus soda (Mountain Dew)

LETS COOK:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the diced apples, 1 & 1/2 tbsps sugar & 1 tsp cinnamon. Toss to coat the apples.
3. Separate the crescent dough into triangles. Place a large spoonful of the coated diced apples along the largest end of the triangle, opposite the point. Roll the dough over the apples, folding in the sides and pinching the point end to seal. Place in the baking dish.
4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the remaining sugar & teaspoon cinnamon. If you have any left over diced apples, you can add those to the butter as well. Continue to stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Pour the melted butter over the dumplings.
6. Pour the soda into the baking dish but not directly over the dumplings.
7. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes or until the tops of the dumplings are golden brown.

RECIPE INSPIRED BY: allrecipes


THIS RECIPE IS PROUDLY SHARED AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES


Still wanting more? Well we’ve picked a bushelful of recipes to celebrate one of our best loved fruits:

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Apple Sage and Onion Soup with Cheddar Bacon Croutons – Wine in Tampa
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Desserts

• Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
• Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
• Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked
• Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Apple Pear Kuchen (Apfel Birnenkichen)- Galactosemia in PDX
• Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
• Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Apple Pound Cake- Damn Delicious
• Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
• Chai Spiced Apple Pull-Apart Bread- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
• Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
• Streusel Apple Pie American w/ Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
• French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
• Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
• Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
• #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
• Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Rustic Apple Galette & Give-Away – Mrs Mama Hen
• Caramel Apple Capirotada La Cocina de Leslie
• Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
• Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- Flour on my Face
• Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Apple and Pecans Muffins- Basic N Delicious

Beverages

• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Wine Pairings for our #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party! – ENOFYLZ

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day today for #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 PM EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes!  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!


Thank you so much for joining us around the table for #SundaySupper!

I Have Some Pretty Amazing Sponsors!!

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

Some of my fabulously amazing September Sponsors have come together to host a pretty awesome giveaway if I do say so myself!  We've got everything from giftcards to Etsy Store creations to Ad Space! 

So let me introduce you to some of my favorite friends & let you see what's up for grabs!! 

One winner takes all!! :)

Meet Julie from This Gal Cooks ~

Up for grabs is a $5 Starbucks E-Giftcard

Meet Paulette from the Dahlia Soleil Collection ~

She is giving away this adorable set of 4 applique mushrooms!

Meet Jessica from @ Home Take 2 ~

Up for grabs is Large Ad Space!!

 

 

Meet Carrie from My Favorite Finds ~

She is offering up Medium Ad Space!

 

 

Meet Evelyn from My Turn For Us ~

She is giving away 175x175 Ad Space!!

 

 

Meet Sarah from The Ease Of Freeze ~

Up for grabs is her Large Ad Space!

 

 

Meet Pamela from Pamela's Heavenly Treats ~

She's giving away a $5 credit to her Etsy Shop + her Mini Cupcake Ad!

 

Meet Julie from White Lights on Wednesdays ~

Up for grabs is 200x200 Ad Space for 60 days!! 2 months y'all!

 

 

Meet Katie from This Is My Life ~

She is loving Erin Condren & is offering up a $15 Erin Condren E-Giftcard!

 

 

Meet Kendra from Adventures of Brad & Kendra ~

Up for grabs is a whole laundry list of goodies for her Etsy Shop: Hairties, Headband, Pendant Necklace & a Wall Decal!

 

 

And I couldn't just not offer up something ~ so from yours truly, I'm offering up my Entree Ad Space!

 

 

 

So lets review:

Ad Space on 7 Awesome blogs

2 E-giftcards

Etsy Shop credit

Mushroom Appliques

&

Simply DARRling Goodies

 

That's a pretty good haul!! :)  Told y'all my sponsors are amazing!

 

 

And if any of y'all are interested in joining this wonderful group of people that sponsor me, feel free to head over to my Sponsor Mom page and check things out!  You can use promo code "MTKOCT" for 25% any size ad space for the month of October!!  I'd love to have you!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mom's Test Meal Mondays Features #8

Well we made it through another week y'all!  It's now Friday!!!  YAY!!  And you know what that means?!?  Its time for this weeks features!  We had 81 amazing recipes linked up!  I'm still blown away by that number!  We were 2 away from beating last week so that's awesome!  Y'all are awesome!

HIGH-FIVE!

So before we get to this week's most viewed recipes, lets all take a minute and give my wonderful co-host, Katie, a big huge CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  She's all finished with school!!  Let's all give her a big Thank You as well for sharing such a great pasta recipe with us!

So now lets get to the love <3

 which Y'all were loving the sage this week!! 2 of the features include sage as a star of the dish!!

#3

Butternut Squash with Sage Butter

from In Her Chucks

 

 

 

 

#2

Easy Cheesy Stove Top Mac & Cheese

from Frugal Foodie Mama

 

 

 

 

#1

Pasta with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

from Couponing & Cooking

 

 

 

 

All three of you feel free to grab a features button! And congratulations!!

The features will be pinned to my MTM Monday's Features Pinterest Board

which you can check out HERE, tweeted & posted on FB !

 

<a href="http://momstestkitchen.blogspot.com"> <img src="http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r558/jailynmtk/featured1.jpg" border="0"/> </a>  

Thank you all again for joining me this week! And I hope to see y'all again this Monday as we really dive into the fall season!  Come prepared to share your favorite fall inspired recipes!!  And just for fun, those of you that do some crafting feel free to link up your fall inspired crafts too!  I need all the inspiration I can get to pretend it's not still feeling like summer outside!!  Plus, I will also be joined by my friend & pretty awesome sponsor, Jessica from @ Home Take 2!

 

Also, just to give my lovely MTMMondays readers a little heads up ~ starting tomorrow, the pretty awesome September Sponsor Giveaway is kicking off!!!!!  Make sure you come back by & enter to win some great prizes!  One winner takes all!!  And we've got everything from giftcards to Etsy Shop pretties to Ad space!  You don't want to miss this one!!

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!



Using Dessert to Teach Colors

One day when Princess P and I were talking about all the different colors, I decided to make her some cookies for a snack.  And I decided to throw in some colorful rainbow sprinkles to carry over our color lesson for the day! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COLORFUL CAKE COOKIES

Yield: 30 cookies

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons rainbow mix sprinkles

LETS COOK:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper or spray with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, butter, water and vanilla. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the rainbow sprinkles.
3. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set.
5. Cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

       

Baked Zucchini Parmesan

Y'all have probably figured out by now that we are not big meat eaters here in the Test Kitchen household.  We love us some vegetables.  It's good for us plus its good for our bank account so we don't complain :)

One of my all time favorite dishes is Eggplant Parmesan.  I would make it probably once a week, maybe more, if eggplant was a reasonably priced vegetable.  Or if the Hubs didn't think it was a 'weird' vegetable.  He & the eggplant, for some reason, have some unresolved issues.  He hasn't come to realize how wonderful the eggplant actually is.  But he does love zucchini.  So when I first saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I was going to try it.  I got to satisfy my 'Parmesan' craving and he didn't have to eat anything weird.

The only negative side to this dish for me was the fact that the zucchini didn't get crispy being baked in the oven.  The flavors were very good and I would definitely make it again.  I just think next time I will go ahead and fry them up!  I need the crunch of the breading on my Parmesan dishes!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large zucchini, sliced thick
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
• marinara sauce
• mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese

 

 

LETS COOK:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add the sliced zucchini rounds to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to make sure all of the zucchini is evenly coated.
3. In a medium shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and all 5 seasonings.
4. Dip each piece of zucchini into the bread crumb mixture and turn to coat both sides. Be sure to press down on the zucchini to ensure the breading sticks. Place the breaded zucchini in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a medium baking dish with some of the marinara sauce. Place a layer of the baked zucchini on top of the sauce, overlapping the zucchini if necessary. Top the zucchini with a handful of the mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of the Parmesan. Add another thin layer of marinara sauce. Repeat the layers until all of your zucchini is used, ending with a layer of the cheeses on top.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.

 

NOTES:

*I served this with a side of angel hair pasta

 

RECIPE INSPIRED BY: Handle the Heat      


THIS RECIPE PROUDLY SHARED AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES