Tag Archives: cooking for company

Christmas Eve Hot Cocoa

19 Dec

The Christmas Season is woven with traditions. Whether big or small they all bring a cherished sense of warmth and togetherness.

One of our traditions is to make hot cocoa on Christmas Eve morning and enjoy it throughout the day and evening. 

It is simplified because it cooks and stays warn throughout the day in your slow cooker.

This is definitely a rich, chocolatey, special hot cocoa that is bound to become one of your holiday favorites!

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Only five ingredients needed!

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Rich, indulgent, chocolatey goodness!

Click here to watch the video

Click here for the printable recipe

 

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing!

Rebecca

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

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Homemade Rice-a-Roni

28 Jul Homemade Rice-a-Roni

One of the things that my family collectively loves is my homemade Rice-a-Roni.  Besides being ridiculously yummy, it is also a simple and inexpensive recipe.  As a side dish, this recipe feeds us all with leftovers….hallelujah for that!  Keep reading for the video and printable recipe.

What things do you make homemade that you can find pre-made at the store?  I would love some fresh inspiration!

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

These basic and inexpensive ingredients is all you need to make Homemade Rice-a-Roni.

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

A few simple steps to light, flavorful, fluffy rice goodness!

 

 

Click here to watch the video

Click here for the printable recipe.

 

Thanks for visiting!

Be Blessed and be a Blessing,

Rebecca

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Huge Aldi Grocery Haul 5-25-2016

1 Jun

Two to three times a year I like to “shop” my pantry, freezer, and fridge.  I like to use up what we have.  I find that I waste a lot less food doing this.  I love that it gets me to be more creative in the kitchen and it makes it easier to clean the fridge and pantry J I’m all about that…BTW, I just read an article that said homemakers in the 50’s did over 50 hours of housework a week…..phew…..I am so grateful for modern conveniences!

I love watching and seeing what others are shopping for so I thought I would once again share my Aldi grocery haul.

I share that I like to use coconut oil as a moisturizer but am pretty clueless on how to cook with it!  I would love to see how you use it. Please leave a link or recipe in the comments…I would LOVE to check it out!

You can view my Aldi Grocery Haul here.

Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Photo credit: Aldi and Google Images

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Lest we Forget

28 May

I am so grateful for the brave men and women who headed the call and left what was familiar and comfortable for a life of upheaval and uncertainty. Today I pause with reflective prayer to honor those who gave their all…the fallen brave who courageously breathed their last breath defending the country and the people they so loved.

To the families who gather around a grave rather than a grill-my prayer is that our Heavenly Father will fill them with grace, peace, and healing. That they would find comfort in each other and that the sweet memories of their loved ones will sustain them until they are reunited in Heaven. Thank you, for your great sacrifice also!

 

As you enjoy your 3 day weekend please remember and pray for all the brave men and women in our military. Pray for the mothers and fathers who will never hold their precious boys and girls in their arms again, for the wives and husbands who will never get to live out the hopes and dreams they planned together, and for the precious children who will never feel the tickle of daddy’s whiskers on their cheek or the soft embrace of their mother’s arms again. The burden is too great to let this weekend go by without a heartfelt sense of gratitude for the meaning behind our three day weekend.

 

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

Photo credit: Google Images

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Chicken Pasta Salad

2 May

I am a use up the leftovers kind of gal (one of the things my family loves most about me 😉 ).

I am also a lover of a quick, throw together, minimal dishes kind of meal.  This recipe is a perfect combination of both.  If you are feeling my sentiments than this is for you!

 pasta salad

Click here to watch the video

Click here for the printable recipe

Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Homemade Croutons

18 Apr

This is a public service announcement.

It seems for years we have been doing our salad injustice!  We take our beautiful fresh garden greens and top it with stale, artificial tasting, bagged croutons. Why?  Because we didn’t realize making our own was so easy!

I have always been a sorta like croutons kind of girl but once I started making my own, they have pretty much become more than just a salad topping.  My family will eat these for a snack, my daughter’s boyfriend asks to take some home whenever he comes for dinner, and friends and family are always wanting the recipe.

Because I consider you all friends…I want to share the recipe with you too!

Keep reading for the salad changing printable recipe.

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The stars of the show. 8 simple, mostly pantry staples.

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Get your butter, oil and spices in a 9×13 baking dish and place that in your pre-heated oven.

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Cube your baguette into bite size pieces.

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After about 30 minutes, this gloriousness happens! Crispy without the expensive dentist bill and so flavorful!

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Garden fresh salad topped right!

 

Click here for the printable recipe.

See, simple right?

Is there something you make homemade that is much better than store bought?  Please share a link or comment down below, I would love to check it out!

Thanks for visiting.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

You can also find me on Pinterest

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup

13 Apr

I just love those mindless, economical, quick throw together dinners.  We had a (healthy…I sometimes get called out for the unhealthy recipes….balance, my friends, balance.) baked whole chicken for dinner last night and I used the carcass to whip up a yummy homemade broth for tonight’s dinner. You can definitely use store bought broth and it is just as good.  So if you are interested in not spending a large portion of your evening preparing dinner tonight keep reading for the printable recipe.

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Cast of characters. Mostly pantry staples.

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Dump all the ingredients in to the crock pot, give it a quick stir, and forget-about-it!

 

 

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Soup, glorious, soup! This cooked low and slow in my slow cooker for about 7 hours. Add a little garnish and VOILA! Simple, hearty, family favorite!

 

Click here for the printable recipe

What is your favorite mindless, quick, throw together dinners?  I am always looking for inspiration!

Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

You can also find me on Pinterest

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Aldi Grocery Haul

12 Apr

 

I thought I would share something a little different.  I am always a little curious and a bit fascinated about how life is for others.  I think we learn new things and become inspired when other’s welcome us into snippets of their life. 

So today I am going to share with you our Aldi’s grocery haul.  This will feed our family of 5 for about 7-10 days. I love that I can feed my family fairly healthy and still stay in budget! 

If you’re interested in watching click Aldi Grocery Haul

If you shop at Aldi what are your favorite things to purchase from there?

Thanks for watching!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

Photo credit: Aldi and Google pictures

 

 

 

Lemon Pudding Cake

17 Mar

Just like a song, a certain food can transport you to a certain moment.  This cake makes me think of Easter of 2009…..my son was one and already a master climber (ask me about the loft incident sometime).  I had just cut the cake and placed it in the center of the table so I could serve my family. Fast forward about eight seconds later and here is my pantless, diapered bottom, sweet son, attacking the cake.  As any good mother would do, I first grabbed my camera before removing him from the cake.

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Oh, Jacob!

This cake looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but really this semi homemade cake is a cinch to make and people will love you forever if you make this for them…true story!

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This is all you need. Bake cake according to package directions.

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Grease cake pans.

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Evenly distribute batter between both pans ( a little over two cups per pan).

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Once cakes are completely cool ( 2-4 hours) mix pudding mix with 1 1/2 milk for about one minute or until thickened.

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Frost each layer with half of pudding mixture and stack.

 

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Frost with whipped topping and refrigerate at least four hours before serving.

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Moist, dense, decadence!

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Middle of the night refrigerator view….the struggle is real friends!

 

Click here for the printable recipe

 

I hope you enjoy the cake as much as we do. Thanks for visiting!
 
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

 

You can also find me on Pinterest

 

 

Copyright © 2016 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Mama is Cookin’ Fancy Tonight!

1 Oct

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get into a cooking rut! I just throw together the same 5-6 meals  over and over again. My family is very slow to complain about what they are eating, but you can just tell that there is no real excitement about the same meal they just ate 4 days ago. I have found that with a little extra effort you can put together a simple meal that will make your family or guests feel extra special!

 To start, you are going to need 1 green pepper, 1 large onion, 1 package
button mushrooms and 2 cloves of garlic.
I have about a 1 1/2- 2 pounds boneless pork chops that are about
1 1/2 inches thick, salt, pepper, garlic powder and turmeric.
Wash the green pepper and mushrooms. Thinly slice the green
pepper, onion and mushrooms and finely chop the garlic. In a
frying pan add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and heat over med-high
heat. When pan is hot add the green pepper, and onion.
sautee’ for 4 minutes and then add the mushrooms.
Sautee’ for an addition 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are just tender. Add garlic.
Remove veggies from pan and set aside. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
to the same frying pan and heat on med-high heat.
I sliced my pork chops in half because they were a little to
thick for me and it greatly reduces the cooking time.
Sprinkle both sides to your liking with salt, pepper, garlic
powder and turmeric. Place in pan and let sear for 3-4 minutes
and flip pork chops and turn your pan down to med or if browning too
much down to med-low.
I like to serve my pork chops with real mashed potatoes. I peeled
and washed about 8-9 medium sized potatoes. Cut them in small
pieces so they will boil in no time. Place cut potatoes in a large pot
and cover potatoes with water up to one inch over potatoes. Cover
pot and heat on high heat until potatoes start to boil. Turn heat down
to med-high and remove lid enough to let the steam escape. Continue
to boil 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (fork
easily pierces potato without force or effort).  Drain into a colander
and immediately add your drained potatoes back into hot pot.
This helps to dry up the excess water on the potatoes.
You want your pork chops to have this nice carmely color.
To the potatoes add 4-5 Tablespoons of butter, 1/2 Cup warm
milk, 1/2 Cup sour cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Start mashing:) Yes, making homemade mashed potatoes is
a little more work than instant, but oh so worth it!
Keep mashing until the potatoes are mostly smooth and
really creamy. Add more butter, milk or sour cream to
get the desired consistency of your potatoes. I actually
ended up adding an extra Tablespoon of butter and a few
more splashes of milk. I like to put the lid on the potatoes
put it back on the stove to keep it warm until you’re
ready to serve.
Get several slices of thinly cut provolone cheese ready.
Enough for each pork chop.
When pork chops are cooked through, about 12-15 minutes
you are going to want to turn your pan down to low. Place a
heaping serving of your sauteed vegetables on top of each
pork chop.
Top each pork chop with a slice of provolone cheese. Cover
and let the cheese melt and get all deliciously gooey.
Serve right away with your delicious creamy sour cream
mashed potatoes. From ordinary to ‘fancy’ in no time!
Ingredients
1 green bell pepper
1 large onion
1 package fresh button mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 -2 pounds boneless pork chops
thinly slice provolone cheese; enough for each pork chop
8-9 medium baking potatoes
olive oil
1/2 Cup of milk
1/2 Cup sour cream
4-5 Tablespoons of butter
salt
pepper
garlic powder
turmeric

I hope you and your family and friends enjoy this simple yet delicious dish! We have also enjoyed this dish with tri- colored bell peppers and when I am serving just the adults, I will sometimes substitute a little pepper jack cheese. Have fun with it and make it your own. This recipe was made to accommodate our family of 5 with enough left over for daddy to bring to work the next day.   What is one of your family favorite meals?  I would love to know!  Please leave a comment or a link to your favorite recipe. Thank you for taking the time to visit!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s connect on Pinterest!

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