Baked Onion Rings

         Hi guys! I hope everyone has had a great weekend. It went way too fast for me : (  I guess it always seems that way! I made these yummy Baked Onion Rings for our 'Academy Awards' party tonight! I love watching all the award shows on T.V.   I always make a special dinner and dessert for it. We eat and watch the awards. Its so much fun! I think the Oscars are my favorite. I am such a huge movie lover. I used to watch movies a lot at the theatres, but that was before I had kids. Now we will hit up the Red Box or watch one of the hundreds of DVD's we have at home. It's so nice to escape 'reality' for an hour or two, and get lost in a movie!

        These Onion Rings turned out super delish! We ate em up fast. Of course, we dipped them in fry sauce : ) I'm sure most of you out there know what fry sauce is. If not, it's been a Utah staple for french fries and onion rings for a long time! When I moved to Arizona after high school, I remember going through a drive-thru and asking for 'fry sauce'. The lady looked at me like I was crazy and said, "What is fry sauce?"  I officially knew I wasnt in Utah anymore! lol  All it consists of is some ketchup and mayo. Thats it. Its a heavenly concoction that you must try, if you have not already. Try it with these Onion Rings!

BAKED ONION RINGS

Recipe By: Holly Lofthouse

• 1 large yellow Onion
• 2 cups Buttermilk
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup crushed Corn Flakes

Directions:   Slice onion into thin sliced rings. Place slices of onion in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the top and let them soak in it for an hour or two in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the Panko, Italian bread crumbs and corn flakes together in a large dish or plate. Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture. Coat well. Place all rings onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediatley!  (They are best served hot!)

Fry Sauce

• 1 cup Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Mayo

Mix both together well.

Turkey & Bacon Ranch Wraps

      I love this wrap! This is another yummy dish I have been making Kale and I since we were first married. It's so easy to make and so flavorful. Its packed full of crunchy fresh romaine lettuce, sliced turkey, crumbled bacon, tomatoes and ranch dressing. Mmmmm  I love ranch. I eat everything with ranch. Well, almost everything. 

     I also love this wrap because it is so easy to change up if I'm trying to be healthy. You can easily swap regular ranch for the fat-free or low fat version. Same with the cheese, use low fat if you'd like or just leave it out completely. I would highly suggest keeping the bacon though. I really think the bacon is what gives it that awesome flavor! I usually serve this with fruit or baked chips. This little wrap definitely shows up often at our table : ) 

TURKEY & BACON RANCH WRAP

Recipe By: Holly Lofthouse
(Makes 4 servings)

• 8 oz (1/2 lb) Turkey deli meat, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cups, chopped fresh Romaine Lettuce
• 3/4 cup mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped Tomatoes
• 4-5 slices cooked Bacon, chopped
• 1/2 to 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 4 large Flour Tortillas

Directions:   Start by cooking your bacon. (I bake my bacon in the oven! I feel its the easiest and fastest way to cook it. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Place bacon strips onto foil side by side. Bake for 15 minutes, or until desired crispiness.)

In a large bowl add romaine lettuce, cheese and turkey meat. Gently mix together. Stir in tomatoes and ranch dressing. ( I only use about 1/2 cup of ranch, but you can use however much you'd like!) Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top and then stir well, but gently, to combine. Place about one cup of mixture onto tortilla. Roll up like a burrito. Slice in half and serve! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

      It feels like I havent posted forever! I have had such a busy weekend! It was so nice to wake up this Monday morning and not have to go to work : )  I woke up, made waffles. Then after I showered and got ready, I went grocery shopping. By myself! Awww...  the joy and peace I feel when I get to go grocery shopping by myself! I'm sure you Mommies out there will agree. Taking 3 kids grocery shopping is probably on my TOP 10 WORST THINGS TO DO LIST! It is NO FUN! So I was a pretty happy gal roaming the aisles all alone today!

     Whenever I ask Kale what kind of dessert he wants, he always says 'Chocolate Chip Cookies'. Always. This pie is soo much easier to make than cookies. Way easier. It made my house smell like heaven as it baked, and when I took a bite, I died. Its pure heaven! The best way to eat it is with a big scoop of ice cream. Or with whip cream if your that kind of person  ; )

     I've seen a few bloggers post about this delectable treat, and I keep telling myself to make it, but would just forget about it. The original recipe comes from Nestle Toll House. Click here to check out their site! Go to the top of the main page and click on 'Nestle Toll House' and you will just die at all the yummy recipes they have!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Recipe By: Nestle

• 1 unbaked, 9 inch pie crust ( I used a Marie Callender frozen deep-dish crust)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup real butter, softened
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs in a large bowl and beat on high speed until their foamy. ( about 1 minute)  Beat in flour, and both sugars. Beat in butter, and then stir in chocolate chips. Carefully spoon into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 55 minutes. (check for doneness by inserting a knife halfway between center and edge and it comes out clean)  Let cool atleast 30 minutes to an hour before slicing! Serve with whipped cream or ice cream : )

    

Spicy Honey Chicken

       I had two pieces of chicken sitting in my fridge I didnt know what to do with. I wanted something different for dinner tonight, yet easy as well. I started doin a little blog hoppin and was checking out Christys amazing food blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything. I saw this chicken and printed off the recipe. I pretty much had all the seasonings on hand, except for one. I also decided not to use the 'chipotle' chili powder it calls for to keep it on the milder side. It was simple to make, and so delicious! This chicken would be perfect to slice and put on top of a salad! Mmmmm! My little Kelsey ate it up in no time, and trying to get her to eat chicken is like pulling teeth!

Spicy Honey Chicken

(2 servings)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp vegetable oil

RUB:

1 tsp granulated garlic (dried minced garlic)

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional)

GLAZE:

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 Tbs Cider Vinegar

Directions:   Combine all of the spices in a bowl and mix well.

Rinse chicken, and trim off any fat. Pat dry. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and rub it in to coat. Then rub all of the seasoning mix over the chicken. Coat both sides well.

Grill chicken for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

While chicken is grilling, warm honey in a microwavable bowl so its not thick. Add in the vinegar and mix well. Brush the chicken with the glaze during the last minute or so of cooking.  *BE CAREFUL while brushing on the glaze.. it will drip and cause the flames to rise!  If you use an indoor grill, open a window cause it may get a lil smoky *  : )  

Bread Twists

        I am always looking forward to the weekends. Not just because I dont have to work, but because its when I finally get to spend time with my hubby. He and I work opposite shifts, so we dont get to see much of eachother during the week. Sometimes it gets rough. Taking care of 3 kids by myself can get pretty hectic. But we make it work. I also look forward to us going out to eat on the weekends too. Its my little 'break' from cooking. Last Saturday we went to the Pizza Factory for lunch. They have these AMAZING bread twists there. Anyone from Southern Utah knows exactly what Im talkin about! They are heavenly!

        I found this recipe on Creations By Kara. I adapted it slightly and thought it would be good to add some grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle over them. She claims they taste just like the 'real thing'! Let me tell you, they were AWESOME! I would not go as far as saying they taste exactly like Pizza Factorys, because those things are just out of this world good! But these ones are darn close! I think the garlic butter glaze you brush on top is really what makes them!  Dip them in marinara...  ranch..... alfredo...  Mmmmmm You'll be in heaven my friends!

      

BREAD TWISTS

Makes 10-12 bread twists 

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbs yeast
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 wet skewers  (optional)

Glaze:

• 3 Tbs butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dill weed
• 1/8 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:   Combine water, yeast and sugar in a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix and let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast has dissolved. Then mix in salt, and gradually 3 to 4 cups of flour, total. Mix until all combined and dough is formed and is pulling away from sides of bowl. Spray another large bowl with cooking spray, and place dough inside. Cover bowl and let dough rise until doubled in size. (30-60 minutes)

Take dough out of bowl and lay out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out into a large rectangle. With a pizza cutter, slice into 10-12 strips. Grab one wet skewer and gently wrap dough around it, twisting it onto the skewer. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Once twists are all formed and on cookie sheet, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in size. (30 minutes or so )

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake bread twists for 10-12  minutes or until golden brown. While bread twists are baking, get your glaze ready. In a small bowl mix together melted butter and all seasonings. Once twists are done baking, remove from oven and immediatley brush with all of the glaze. After all the glaze is brushed on, sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over bread twist and serve immediately : )

Perfect Pot Roast

    Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all had a really great day : )  I had to work all day, but still had a good one. It was so nice to come home to a clean and spotless house and laundry all folded and put away.. courtesy of my hubby! Gosh, I love that man! He is the best! : )

    Okay, on with the roast. This one is my favorite. Okay, I know I say that about every recipe, but this roast really is delish! It is packed full of flavor, and its another easy one to throw into the beloved crock-pot! It makes a gravy that is to die for! This is another recipe my sweet lil sis Lindsey gave me. Lin and I love swappin recipes and telling eachother about new dishes we have made and loved. I'm pretty sure one of her friends told her about this one. I think she saw it on a popular T.V. show here in Utah called, 'Good Things Utah'.

    This roast is also really good when made into a sandwich as well. Put some onto a toasted hoagie roll with melted cheese. Oh goodness!! It's kinda like a 'french dip'. Dip it into the gravy it makes and you'll be in pure heaven! I call it 'Perfect Pot Roast' because I believe it is Perfect! You'll believe me once you try it! PROMISE!

Perfect Pot Roast

• 2 - 3 lb  Rump Roast
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 packet Lipton Onion soup mix
• 1 beef bullion cube

  Throw all ingredients into a crockpot. Cover and Cook on Low for 8-10 hours, or on High for 6-8 hours. Shred and serve with mashed potatoes or on top of toasted hoagie rolls!

3D Valentine Sugar Cookies

      These are WITHOUT A DOUBT my favorite favorite favorite (get the point?) Sugar Cookie recipe! It is thee best! The flavor is delish and they are SOFT. I am all about soft sugar cookies! I honestly cannot give proper credit to the great person that came up with this recipe, because I dont know who he/she is. A couple of years ago I was searching the net for a sugar cookie recipe and this one I tried. I fell madly in-love. I copied down the recipe onto one of my handy lil recipe cards and that was that. So whoever you are out there that came up with this, I just want you to know how much I love you!

     This is my 'go-to' recipe for sugar cookies for any holiday. I make them for Halloween, Christmas and of course, Valentines! Whenever I make these, I have always used a simple Betty Crocker frosting to ice them with. This time I thought it would be neat to really do something different when decorating them. I decided to melt some white chocolate bark and dye it pink. I piped pink hearts, and words with the chocolate onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet and let them harden in the fridge. Once I iced the cookies, I put the chocolate hearts and words on top. I love how they turned out : )

3D Valentine Sugar Cookies

Makes 18 (3 inch) cookies

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3D Effect:

• White chocolate bark
• food coloring of your choice
• icing decorating bag
• tip of your choice to pipe with ( I used the Wilton #21)

Directions:   In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Gradually blend in flour mixture until fully absorbed. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. On a clean and floured surface, roll out dough anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch thickness. (The fatter, the softer) Then cut with desired cookie cutters. Place onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes! (NO LONGER) Let cool completely before icing.

For 3D effect:

Melt chocolate bark in a microwavable bowl in 30 second increments. Once melted, stir in food coloring to your desired color. Stir well. Pour into icing piping bag and pipe out whichever shapes you like ( I did hearts, words, etc) onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet.  Set cookie sheet in fridge to let chocolate completley harden. Once chocolate is hard, carefully place on iced cookie!



TWIX Ice Cream Cake

         Okay so I think this is my new favorite dessert. Well, for the moment anyway. It is a delicious combination of ice cream, caramel, sugar cookie and chocolate! All of my favorite things! I've had the Twix Ice Cream bars a lot more than I care to admit... I freakin LOVE them! They are way way too good. One of the last times I ate one I thought, gosh I could really create this sinful little guy so easily. And I did. And you need to make it.... Now  : )  It's really easy to make. Just takes a little patience. Patience for like a day because you need it to really set and freeze well before you dig in. It's definatley worth the wait!

TWIX ICE CREAM CAKE

Recipe By: Holly Lofthouse

• 1 (1.5 quart) Vanilla Ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 (16 oz) jar of Caramel Sauce
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:  In a 9x13 glass dish spread out the ice cream evenly. Cover and place in freezer. Freeze to set for 2 hours.

While the ice cream is setting start making the cookie topping. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars in a medium bowl. Stir in vanilla and flour until well mixed. Spread dough into a foil-lined 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or slightly golden. Remove from heat and let stand until completely cooled.

Once Ice cream is all set and cookie topping is completley cooled,  take ice cream out of freezer. Pour the caramel sauce evenly over ice cream. Break apart the cookie topping into big chunks and sprinkle evenly over caramel.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl. Heat at 30 second intervals until melted. Stir and then drizzle over the cookie topping. Re-cover and place back into freezer for 6 hours or overnight to completely re-freeze. Slice into squares and serve! : )