Breakfast Fried Rice

Almost 7 years ago, my husband and I spent a week in Maui, Hawaii for our honeymoon. There was no other place we wanted to be than in one of the most beautiful places on earth with each other! We haven't had the chance to take another vacation since with just the two of us, thanks to pregnancies and now our 3 amazing kids, so we dream of that vacation and how special it was and the memories we have of that week. While we were there, we went to a Mexican restaurant for breakfast, Fred's. It was so tasty, but the most amazing thing we ate there was their breakfast fried rice. We have been trying to recreate it since, and FINALLY got it down this week!!!!

Let me tell you, there is nothing better than recreating tastes of the islands, and getting it right! Our family downed a wok-full of this stuff. IT WAS SO EASY AND TASTY, but truth be told, I didn't make it! My husband made it, I just chopped everything up for him.

Doesn't get much better than reliving great times, and sharing those times and memories with your kids!

But without further ado, here is the recipe!

Breakfast Fried Rice:
4 c. cooked white rice (2 c. dry rice with 4 cups water)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
5 eggs, scrambled with a dash of milk
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 medium onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
soy sauce, to taste
Cook rice in a rice cooker, or pot, until cooked through. While the rice is cooking, or if you have leftover rice, preheat a wok, or large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil, and saute onion, and peppers for 2-3 minutes or until the onion becomes a little translucent in color. Add in scrambled eggs, and cook. Add in cooked bacon, along with a dash of salt and pepper. Add cooked rice in and soy sauce, start with just 1/4 cup, you can always add more. Continue to stir rice until the soy sauce is incorporated completely. Add more soy sauce as needed, but don't go overboard, it makes the rice super salty if you add too much. Let "fry" in the wok for 3-4 minutes stirring about once a minute so the rice doesn't burn. Serve while still hot, and ENJOY!!

Fruity Rainbow Marshmallows

A few weeks ago my daughter graduated from Preschool. She has been able to attend such an amazing preschool where the teachers really care about learning and teaching, whether the kids are understanding what they are being taught, movement and dance classes, cooking, science, math, the list goes on and on. I have loved having her at this preschool. SO...for graduation this year they had a rainbow theme, and talked about how the kids are all different, they're all a different color in the crayon box, but they all have something very important to offer the world.

I was asked to make rainbow marshmallows for the kids, as a treat for after graduation. Let's just say, they are adorable!! AND they are easier than you would think. I was supposed to watch a video about how to make them, but it would never pull up for me, something about technology and I don't get along at times. :) So I found a link that said something about dipping the marshmallow in water, and then dipping it in Jell-o powder. SUPER FUN and SUPER EASY! Can you say homemade peeps?

So here is what I did, and how they turned out. My kids loved them, and I was happy that I learned, essentially, how to make peeps.

Fruity Rainbow Marshmallows:
25 large marshmallows
1 small bow Jell-o powder, any flavor/color you like
1 small bowl of water
YOU WILL ALSO WANT TO HAVE:
1 cookie sheet for the marshmallows to dry out on
1 piece of parchment paper or cooling rack to put on the cookie sheet

Open the bag of marshmallows, you can dip up to three at a time in the water. Make sure they are completely wet. Remove one at a time with a pair of tongs shaking off the extra water, and then dip and completely cover with the Jell-o powder. Place on the cooling rack/parchment paper to dry. It takes approximately 2 hours for them to dry. Then do whatever you like put them on a stick and tie a bow around it, put on a platter to serve, be creative with presentation.
If you really want them to be like peeps, you can let them dry for a little a longer. They taste just like the flavor of Jell-o powder you use.
Enjoy, and have fun. The possibilities are ENDLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taco Salad

We LOVE Taco Salads at our house, especially on leftover night. We have tacos at least once a month at our house, and always have leftover meat. What better way to use it up than to make a whole second meal?

There is a secret to making the perfect ground beef taco meat, though. What is that, you ask?

THIS....

I use store-bought taco seasoning, but I never add the water until the spices have cooked with the meat for just 30 seconds or so. When you add the seasonings and just cook it with the meat, it wakes up all those herbs and spices, and makes it incorporate into the taco meat so much better.

So without further ado, here is today's recipe.

Taco Salad:
1 lb. taco meat, browned and crumbled
1 packet taco seasoning, I use McCormick
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 can black beans, drained and seasoned to taste with chopped onion, garlic powder, cumin, salt    
             & pepper to taste. Cook on the stove until heated through.
shredded cheese
salsa
dressing of choice
Put all the ingredients out buffet style, and let each person construct their own. Sometimes we like to warm tortillas and build the salad on top of those.

Just as a side note, most of my taco salads have no dressing, we just use the salsa as the "dressing".

Banana Pudding Pie

This post is so LONG OVERDUE, but I'm so glad to be back and blogging about one of my favorite things, COOKING!!! I've been cooking up a storm since my last post, but haven't taken the time to put it up.

Look no further for the easiest and most delicious Banana Pie I have ever tasted. It's so much more cost-effective to make your own, then buying one from a bakery. On top of that, you know exactly what is in it, AND your kids can learn how to cook with a recipe as simple as this.

Let me just say, I was glad I took a picture of this pie as soon as I finished it, there were no pictures once it was sliced. :) Rave reviews and many recipes have been given about this guy, and the best part, NO OVEN or even microwave NEEDED!!! This time of year, the last thing you want to do is turn your oven on, when the temperature outside keeps climbing!

Trust me, this is one to serve for your next family gathering, it WILL NOT disappoint!

Banana Pudding Pie:
1 store bought, pre-made graham cracker crust
4 bananas
1-3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 c. half and half
1-8 oz. container Cool Whip
1/2 c. sour cream
pinch of salt
1 sleeve graham crackers
In a large bowl combine the pudding & the half and half. Beat together with a hand-held mixer until thick and smooth. Add 1 cup of the Cool Whip, salt and sour cream and beat together until combined. Set aside.
Slice the bananas into bite-size slices.
Remove all the packaging from your store-bought pie crust. Lay a thin layer of the bananas all around the crust. Cover the bananas with half the pudding mixture. Layer the graham crackers in a single layer over the pudding. Add another layer of bananas, and then cover with the rest of the pudding mixture. Top with the remaining Cool Whip, and a few extra banana slices for presentation-sake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

About a month ago, we decided we needed to have a healthier option for mornings that we are all having to go in opposite directions, and needing our tummies to stay full! Enter these awesome muffins. Don't get me wrong, I love the boxed muffin mixes, but there is something so nice to know you are eating something with lots of nutrition, not just sugar. I originally came across this recipe in "The Taste of Home" cookbook, and love that it is easy to throw together.
 
 This is one of those recipes that is good to keep on hand. I have made a few batches of these muffins now, and freeze whatever is extra for future crazy mornings. They freeze great, and make it so I don't always have to worry about breakfast for the hubby, he can just grab one of these out of the freezer before he heads to work. I love them, for the same reason, before I have to take kids, and the kids love them because they don't know they are a good for them. :)

They don't take much effort, and have such a nice texture when they are done. Try them out this weekend for brunch, I promise you won't regret it!!

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins: makes 12 muffins
1 c. oatmeal, not instant
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients, and mix well. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until moistened. Line your muffin tin with muffin cups, and fill them 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack. Serve.

Sausage Queso Dip

With football season in full-swing, I thought I would share an EASY, delicious party food. We love this queso dip! It's nummy, as my 2-year-old says, and it good for all ages. If you've ever eaten at Chili's this is kind of like their queso, without the fat, cost, and WITH more flavor.

This recipe could not be easier. It is literally one both my kids help me put together, and stir while everything is melting together. Hooray for food our kids can help us make!

Seriously, though, you'll not regret taking this side to your next tailgating party, or whatever other gathering you have coming up.

Sausage Queso Dip:
1 lb. Sausage, cooked
16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut in cubes
16 oz. salsa, this homemade version, or your favorite store brand
Crumble and cook sausage over medium heat in large saucepan until browned. Drain on a paper towel then return sausage to saucepan. Add Velveeta to sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. Stir in salsa. Serve with warm tortilla chips or toasted baguette bread, over a baked potato, or whatever else you'd like! Enjoy!  

*I do halve this recipe, most of the time, unless we have A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER! I still cook all the sausage at once, then remove half and freeze it for another time, or recipe.

Japanese Curry

Our family LOVES curry!! Not really sure why it has become our favorite dish, but we all love when curry night comes around. I have learned how many different kinds there are out there. Of course there are the Indian and Thai curries, but this one has taken us to a new level. I love how EASY this is to make. My husband introduced me to Japanese curry, and it quickly become our #1 around here. It's not too spicy for the kids, and it could not be easier to make. Really the only thing we add to this dinner is Naan bread (you can find Naan bread in the bakery section of your grocery store.)

So what makes this curry so easy? Enter this little gem...

We first found  this at Walmart, but have since seen it at all the grocery stores close to our home. You can find it in the Asian foods aisle. It makes curry a breeze. All you do is cook the desired veggies and meat (we use diced chicken, carrots, celery and potatoes), add water and then add what is in the box. From start to finish, about 25 minutes. Perfect with fall coming, and school already in session for a healthy and delicious family dinner!

Japanese Curry:
1/2 lb. chicken breast, diced
1/2 c. carrots, diced
3 small potatoes, cooked, whichever variety you like
water
oil
Follow the directions on the back and side of the box.
Start by cooking the chicken until cooked through in 1 T. oil. Add the veggies and let cook for another 5 minutes. Add in the amount of water on the package, I think it is around 2 1/2 cups, and bring up to a boil. Once it hits a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for just a couple minutes. Stir in the curry cubes from the box, and allow to simmer until until the dish hits your desired consistency for curry. Serve over rice along side of Naan bread. Enjoy!!