Butterscotch Butter Rum Pudding Cookies #SRCHolidayTreats

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal day - this one is an extra reveal day with a theme! What is Secret Recipe Club? It's a bunch of food bloggers separated into four groups that post once a month on a designated Monday. Each month, we are paired with another foodie from our group secretly (hence the name). We then pick a recipe (or two or more) from that blog and make it. On our reveal day, we reveal whose blog we had and what recipe(s) we chose all at the same time. It's like a Secret Santa every month, but with food and blogs! It's a great deal of fun :)

This week is an extra week, so we are enjoying it by getting together to do a no-group-restricted, themed reveal day. The theme is HOLIDAY TREATS. I naturally decided upon cookies. Holidays to me are all about the cookies. Any kind and every kind. My assignment was Wildflour's Cottage Kitchen by Group B member, Kelly. Kelly lives in New Jersey with her husband and super adorable Snowshoe Siamese kitty, Gilbert (go see his pictures on the about me page). I am a sucker for those snowshoes - they are too precious! Kelly has run her own catering business for over 20 years now :) I tell you what, these Secret Recipe Club members never cease to amaze me. They are all such incredible people.

I had no problems narrowing down the cookie recipe I wanted to make, but be sure to stop by Kelly's blog and look at the immense wealth of recipes she has posted. There are too many good ones to choose from ordinarily. One cookie recipe stood out to me right off the bat and that was the Salted White Chocolate & Butter Rum Pudding Cookies with pecans. Nick LOVES butterscotch and he loves rum and I love pudding cookies. So it was really a no-brainer.

I only slightly adapted Kelly's recipe because I couldn't find butter rum extract. I also was so excited about getting these done that I completely forgot to salt them. But I assure you, still so tasty, cannot be beat. Perfection, y'all, perfection.

Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs #GobbleAgain #IC #ad

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Rubbermaid. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

When it comes to transporting food from my house to other houses or locations, I am very picky with how I store them to ensure the food makes it in one piece to its destination. I always volunteer to cook food for not only the holidays, but any event that needs food - like a work function or school function. I try to make something each week for our weekly dinners at Nick's mom's house, too. When Thanksgiving came around, I planned to bring the turkey, au gratin potatoes, cake, and deviled eggs. I was incredibly excited to test out the Party Serving Kit from Rubbermaid. It has two inserts that can be used for cupcakes and deviled eggs, but can also transport various other food items, like cake, pies, cookies, etc.
 

I have a few other containers that are just not built as sturdily as the Rubbermaid Party Serving Kit is built. The handle is NOT wobbly. You click it into place and it stays. The sides clip securely and the lid does not go ANYWHERE. I actually did not wait until Thanksgiving to use it to transport cupcakes to family dinner (see picture below). I also got to try out the Rubbermaid Party Platter which has four areas for various foods and a removable food storage container for dips. I packed a veggie tray with pickles and olives with a side of ranch dressing to take to Thanksgiving dinner. I was so happy that nothing spilled anywhere in my trunk from either container. That is such a blessing, let me just tell you.

Both Rubbermaid food storage containers (the Party Platter and Party Serving Kit) are 100% BPA-free and lightweight. The Party Platter is microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe. The Party Serving Kit is dishwasher safe and has both a lip on the base to prevent spillage and a tall lid, so your food doesn't get smushed. It's really not any fun when your cupcake frosting is demolished.

Now onto the recipe that you can use in the Party Serving Kit - and they will survive being transported to your holiday get-togethers or big family gatherings or office parties, etc! I have always wanted to make a twist on traditional deviled eggs and jalapeno popper naturally had to be the first kind. It's only my second time making deviled eggs and I had some bumps in the road to say the least. I did make it with 12 hard boiled eggs in the end though and that's all that matters, right?! I had one egg after I finished making them and it is literally the most heavenly deviled egg I've ever had. It was everything I had ever thought I could want in a deviled egg. I apparently was not the only one who thought that. I took one of these and one of my mom-in-law's amazing regular deviled eggs my first time through the Thanksgiving food line. I went back and none of the jalapeno popper deviled eggs were left. Such a huge compliment, but such a huge bummer. I'm sure I could have eaten half a dozen of them!

Vegetable & Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini #SundaySupper

Main dishes can be flavorful and filling without meat and this dish is here to prove that!

I'm back for another post with the #SundaySupper movement. Today's event is Vegetables as a Main Dish hosted by DB Stuntman of Crazy Foodie Stunts. I used to plan for one night a week without meat because I love variety and I have saved plenty of delicious recipes that are meatless. Unfortunately, I am outnumbered by the meat lovers in the house and that means it's rare that I can have a meatless night without complaint.

Luckily, I married into a family where my mom-in-law has very similar food preferences like mine and she enjoys meatless dishes too. I made this recipe right before Nick came down to Tennessee and got no complaints because it is such a wonderful recipe. The quinoa really aids in making it a filling dish and it is one of the most flavorful non-meat foods I've ever had! I had a little leftover filling and I definitely ate it without hesitation!

Dark Chocolate Mint Cake Mix Cookies #Cookielicious #SundaySupper

Fudgy, chewy cookies with loads of chocolate and mint in every bite - and only need 4 ingredients. These decadent treats are sure to be a hit during the holiday season!

I have been working on trying to develop my own recipes and really I stick to what I know...cookies and copycat dishes. I'm fairly decent at coming up with recipes for those two things. Last winter, I made 3 cookie recipes and this was by far my very favorite. I grabbed a bag of limited edition Winter Dark Chocolate & Mint morsels again this year to make these again. Matthew tells me they were Santa's favorite cookies out of all the ones we've made him. I think he may be onto something there :)

I love to make cookies from cake mix and with instant pudding. Both kinds turn out soft and chewy - which is how I like my cookies. I went with fudge cake mix because it is rich and more chocolatey and you have to have that for these cookies. You really do!

Our New Favorite: Birds Eye Flavor Full veggies #BEFlavorFull #ad

Many thanks to Birds Eye for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to make bold veggies for my family without sacrificing precious time to spend with them!

My kids are somewhat on the rare side. They LOVE veggies. However, they do complain when I make plain vegetables for sides. I picked up some of Birds Eye Flavor Full frozen vegetables to appease their request for flavored vegetable sides. I typically steam all of our vegetables, but since the colder months are upon us and fresh produce isn't too reliable, my go-to is Birds Eye Steamfresh frozen veggies - and I definitely stock up on them. It is incredibly convenient for me to just grab a side from the freezer and place it in the microwave while I finish up making dinner - especially on Mondays when I grocery shop, volunteer at Girl Scouts after school until 4:45, and rush home to fix dinner because Nick and Matthew leave for Boy Scouts at 6:45. I have been making a lot of one pot or crockpot meals on Mondays and I love having a quick veggie side dish, like the Birds Eye Flavor Full veggies, on hand and ready to go. There are eight different varieties to try. We started out with Buffalo Cauliflower and Ranch Broccoli. We were having a one pot pasta dish and I knew I would not get any complaints with the spicy side, so we tried that one first.

Matthew and Cami were happy to see that I was making a flavored veggie, but I think Nick was even more excited than they were. He lives for buffalo-flavored anything. We have a hard time finding buffalo foods that don't have blue cheese or ranch with them - which Nick would not touch with a ten foot pole. I will eat ranch, but I prefer my spicy foods to be spicy and not have ranch with it. The Birds Eye Flavor Full Buffalo Cauliflower does not, I repeat, DOES NOT, have any cool aspect to it. It is definitely a side for spicy food lovers. And it was perfection. It was spicy, but not too overwhelming for the kids and it had very bold buffalo flavor to it. A lot of times spiciness takes over and it won't have any flavor to it, just heat. This was not the case. We were very impressed with the buffalo cauliflower and will most definitely make it a regular side at our dinner table.

 

Birds Eye currently has a $1.00 off coupon on their website [good for 30 days, but not available past 12/31/15], so be sure to stop by and save a little money when you buy these awesome veggies! There are 8 varieties in all, so I cannot wait to try all the different kinds. You can visit their website to see all of the varieties - there is one that pairs perfectly for every type of cuisine - or use their handy store locator to find a store that carries the Flavor Full veggies near you.

Cami especially loved the Flavor Full Buffalo Cauliflower. She is my slow eater who doesn't eat large quantities of really anything. After she finished her pasta and first round of cauliflower, she asked if she could eat the rest of what was left of the cauliflower! She literally grabbed the bowl it was in and chowed down. That is definitely a win in this mom's book!

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Menu Plan Monday - November 23, 2015

This post contains affiliate links.

 

I am so so ready for Thursday. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I am making lots of good food this year. We are going to have a big family Thanksgiving. For once, all of Nick's siblings (and him) will be home for Thanksgiving and this year is the first year all of them have significant others. I enjoy spending time with the newbies and I'm glad I'm not alone anymore with the others choosing to be a part of Nick's crazy family too LOL!!
   
Monday
Italian Wonderpot
fettuccine, spinach, 28 oz. diced tomatoes, onion*

Tuesday
Tacos
ground beef*, cheddar cheese, taco mix?, taco shells, tomato, refried beans, corn, salted butter

Wednesday
Kale Soup
Italian sausage (2), onion (2), 32 oz. chicken broth (2), 8 potatoes, kale (2), heavy cream

Thursday
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey // Herbed Au Gratin Potatoes // Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs // Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake // Apfelkuchen German Apple Cake
bacon, turkey*, extra virgin olive oil, lemon (2), onion (2), fresh herbs // heavy cream, onion, dried chives, 4 potatoes, bacon, gruyere // 12 eggs?, mayonnaise?, cream cheese*, cheddar jack cheese, bacon bits // cream cheese (3), vanilla extract, 5 eggs, pecans? // Gala apples (3), lemon, unsalted butter

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Dinner @ Mom's

Sunday
Red Wine Pot Roast, Potatoes, and Carrots [Dinnertime cookbook]
beef chuck roast, onion (2), celery, tomato paste, red wine*, beef broth, carrots, parsnips (4), red potatoes, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary



------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

stop by my amazon store to see my kitchen must-haves

Broccoli & Cheese Omelet

I love trying recipes from fellow Secret Recipe Club members and sharing them here on the blog. I, of course, do that once a month for my reveal day post, but I also love to peruse other groups' blogs other than my group, Group D. This recipe comes from Cindy of Hun...What's For Dinner? who is in Group A. I modified it to using 2 whole eggs, instead of 1 egg and 2 egg whites, but otherwise I kept it pretty much how Cindy made it. I have always loved broccoli and loved eating cheese on broccoli, so I knew I would love this recipe. I adore the almonds in the omelet. They add a nice crunchy texture that is otherwise missing in this omelet, but they don't overwhelm it with an unpleasantness by any means. I was very skeptical about adding them, but I wanted to be a teensy bit adventurous and I am very glad that I was. Thanks, Cindy, for a wonderful recipe!

Kid Menu Burgers: Curly Fry Style

A traditional burger with American cheese, pickles, and condiments, but with a twist that my kids and I'm sure plenty of others will love: fries ON the burger!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I am organizing my Food Network magazines by way of clipping the recipes that I want to make out of them and putting them into sheet protectors and then into a binder. I had over 5 years of magazines. So bad, right?! The original burger recipe came from June 2012's Let's Grill edition. We switched it up and made it with curly fries this time.

I don't know what it is with this one because I prepare it much like other burgers I make. I'm not big on adding seasonings to burgers other than salt and pepper. But the kids just love them - it doesn't matter if they are similar to other burgers I make...these have FRIES on them. And they are called Kids Menu Burgers, so they are obviously for kids :)

Menu Plan Monday - November 16, 2015

 

It's almost Thanksgiving time and I am soo ready!! I am also very ready for our designated soup night this week. It's going to be strange but hopefully delicious. I'm cooking out of the Pioneer Woman's newest cookbook again and also another one I have on hand - both have my affiliate links to Amazon.

Monday
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce (with spaghetti, green beans, and garlic breadsticks)
ground beef, onion, 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 8 oz. can tomato sauce, 6 oz. can tomato paste, spaghetti?, green beans, garlic breadsticks

Tuesday
Green Chile Chicken (Dinnertime cookbook) (with corn and refried beans)
lime, chipotles in adobo sauce, chicken breasts, poblanos (6), Monterey Jack slices, pico de gallo, corn, refried beans

Wednesday
Dill Pickle Soup
potatoes (3), shredded carrots, sour cream, Old Bay seasoning, fresh dill, onion, ham

Thursday
Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini
chicken breasts, vine tomatoes, ciabatta rolls, fresh mozzarella, pesto*, panini press

Friday
Supreme Pizza Burgers (Dinnertime cookbook) with fries
ground beef (2), sausage (1), Provolone slices, pepperoni, red onion, green bell pepper, Kaiser rolls, fries

Saturday
Cookie Swap cookies // Hot Cocoa Poke Cake
salted butter, caramel bits, chocolate chunks // milk, hot cocoa mix, chocolate cake mix, sour cream, 13 oz. jar hot fudge, heavy cream?

Sunday
Pumpkin & Cinnamon Waffles (The No Time To Cook! Book cookbook)
pumpkin puree

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

stop by my amazon store to see my kitchen must-haves

Easy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce #SundaySupper

This spaghetti sauce is simple to put together and throw into the crockpot. It simmers on low for a few hours to maximize all the flavors and make for a killer sauce!

It's time for another #SundaySupper day and today's theme is Budget Friendly Meals. I think many of us like to spend as little money as possible, right? And it's nice to have a large repertoire of delicious recipes that don't break the bank. Today's event is hosted by Shelby of Grumpy's Honeybunch and Caroline of Caroline's Cooking.

My mind immediately went to spaghetti when I heard the event's theme. We didn't have a lot of money when I was a kid, so my mom always cooked very budget-friendly dishes. I had it more times than I can count growing up and I have yet to get sick of it. I have always said that if I could pick my last meal on earth, it would be spaghetti. So I am sharing one of my absolute favorite recipes for spaghetti sauce - it's semi-homemade and simmers in the crockpot. Spaghetti sauce, much like soup and chili, seems to get better with time and the longer you can simmer it, the better.

What I really love about this recipe is that there is room to switch it up a bit. You can add different veggies into it or seasonings or even change which prepared spaghetti sauces you add in. You can go with sweet, mild, or spicy Italian sausage. And no one is going to police you if you don't serve it over spaghetti pasta - elbow macaroni, rotini, or in a lasagna - that's up to you! If you prefer to make sauce from scratch instead of using prepared spaghetti sauces, I have a recipe for that too.

Pecan Pie Milkshake

If there is such a thing as leftover pecan pie, this is what it's for. This Pecan Pie Milkshake is decadent and delightful and very easy to make.

Today's is Veteran's Day and while I don't have a patriotic recipe to share, I do have MY veteran's favorite dessert with a twist. Nick served 8 years active duty army and now serves in the army reserves. He did a tour in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Although I wasn't happy when he initially enlisted, over time I came to know nothing but military life and transition to civilian life has been strange to say the least. I do often miss our military family (but definitely not Fort Drum) and I'm thankful to have had that experience.

The years that Nick's unit wasn't deployed, we did a huge Thanksgiving. We all brought food (most of the women did the cooking, so all the guys cleaned up after dinner) and went over to one household to celebrate. Those Thanksgivings are some of my favorites. It was always a large group. There was singing, dancing, laughing, and it was always loud and happy. There weren't many leftovers though with such a crowd, so this recipe wasn't really feasible.

I improvised and purchased a 2-pack of pecan pie from the freezer aisle to make this treat for Nick. If you are able to stash a piece of homemade pecan pie this Thanksgiving, I highly suggest making this recipe! If not, your local grocery store should have the 2-pack, so you don't have to buy a whole pie. It's simple to make and it's oh-so-good!

During the holiday season especially, I find it important to support the troops in any way that I can (obviously, all the time is important, but especially at the holidays).  The USO does so much for the troops and we worked with them a lot to send care packages during deployments [their website]. Soldiers' Angels has resources for both care packages and holiday cards on their website. Operation Gratitude also has a multitude of different ways to give and help [their website]. I know that a Christmas card seems like nothing, but Nick came home from deployment with so many. We also have a lot of injured and recovering soldiers here on the homefront at Walter Reed, too. These soldiers are so happy to know someone is thinking about them. :)

Menu Plan Monday - November 9, 2015

This post contains affiliate links.

 

Monday
Slow Cooker Chicken, Potatoes, & Green Beans
chicken breasts, green beans, red potatoes, lemon*

Tuesday
Burrito Bowls (The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime cookbook)
brown rice, chicken bouillion, sirloin steak, chicken tenderloins, chili powder, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell, yellow bell, jalapeno, lime (3), cilantro, pinto beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream

Wednesday
Loaded Gnocchi Soup
bacon, onion, milk, cheddar cheese (2.5 cups), gnocchi, green onions

Thursday
Bowtie Chicken Alfredo (The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime cookbook)
chicken breasts, half and half*, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, bowtie pasta?, broccoli (side)

Friday
Ultimate Stuffed Crust Pizza (x2)
pizza dough*, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, sliced pepperoni (3), sliced salami(2), Parmesan, Italian sausage (2)

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Dinner @ Mom's // Tiramisu Cupcakes
yellow cake mix, coffee*, mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, bittersweet chocolate


------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

stop by my amazon store to see my kitchen must-haves

Tomato Bacon Jam #HandCraftedEdibles

In an effort to make all of her holiday gifts this year, Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla invited some of her favorite foodie bloggers to share recipes for hand-crafted edibles. Over the course of twelve weeks, we'll be sharing recipes for all your homemade holiday gifts. Hope you'll follow along for inspiration. You can find out more information, including the schedule: here.

This week, we're sharing recipes for delicious jams and jellies.

----------

So happy to back with these gals for another week of #HandcraftedEdibles - I've posted my SPICE BLEND and my SPECIAL DIET. Today is the JAM AND JELLY. And it is perfect timing, as I just made a fabulous atypical jam that goes with savory dishes. And from my title, y'all know that's Tomato Bacon Jam. Yes, bacon. I have your attention, right?

I found this recipe on one of my Group D bloggers' reveal day posts and pinned it faster than I could have ever thought possible to pin something. This jam goes with a burger called the Triple Bypass, which I will post at some point in the future (if not, visit Rebekah's blog, linked at the end of the recipe). Rebekah also used it on grilled cheese and also on crackers. I forgot all about that until today, but I will make it again, just for that.

We have a lot of bacon enthusiasts in the family. I once bought a can of bacon (off of ThinkGeek, I believe) as a Christmas present for my brother-in-law. So this jam ranks high on the list of possibilities because homemade gifts are wonderful during the holiday season. And bacon is wonderful all the time.

Menu Plan Monday - November 2, 2015

This post contains affiliate links.

I cannot believe it's November. This morning I woke up bright and early and made my list to grocery shop. I was home by 8:30am. This is insanity. I may start doing this from now on. The store was quiet and not so crowded. Mason behaved perfectly - although he always does. I was able to get home and relax a little! I am using my new Pioneer Woman cookbook for some of my meals - linked to Amazon below. Now here's what we're eating this week:

Monday
Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
Chicken breast, lemon, parsley, cream cheese*, pasta*

Tuesday
Chicken Taco Salad (The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime)
Chicken breast, taco seasoning, corn*, lettuce, roma tomatoes (3), Pepperjack cheese, cilantro (need to go back for), tortilla chips, green onions

Wednesday
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
Celery, carrots, onion*, double cheddar sauce (2), broccoli

Thursday
Pan-Fried Pork Chops with potatoes and green beans (The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime)
breakfast chops, potatoes

Friday
Hawaiian Burgers with fries (The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime)
Teriyaki sauce*, pineapple rings, red bell pepper, provolone cheese, onion rolls, red onion*, ground beef (2), fries

Saturday - Eating at Mom's
Sunday - didn't shop for


------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Christmas Cranberry Dip #SundaySupper

A perfectly sweet and tart appetizer for easy holiday entertaining! This cranberry dip is wonderful finger food for family and friends while you enjoy each other's company.

This week's theme for #SundaySupper is Easy Holiday Entertaining and the event is hosted by Michelle of The Complete Savorist and Valerie of Lifestyle Food Artistry. When I heard the theme, my mind went to what I fixed last holiday season. Because I'm barely getting 1 or 2 posts done each week...my "made" recipes are stacking up. And, to be honest, it's a little weird to post a Christmas recipe in the dead of summer. Right?

To me, the easiest recipes for the holiday to entertain a whole crowd are finger foods (appetizers). There's so much big feast fixing that sometimes you forget to eat breakfast...and lunch. It's nice to have something on hand to dig into with your hands!

So last year, I made a ton of appetizers for Christmas and New Year's. Cami loves appetizers and so we had to make sure to have some on hand for her. My mom-in-law made a cheese tray with pickles and olives and banana peppers. And I, of course, made the sweet appetizer. Cami also really loves cranberry sauce and we always make it special for her, so I decided to make her an appetizer with cranberries. This one is a pretty easy dish. You simply bake the cranberries with sugar, stir in the preserves, allow to cool, and mix in the cream cheese. If you are lucky enough to NOT have someone who would never touch this if he saw the unmixed cream cheese, *cough* Nick *cough*, then you can spread softened cream cheese on the bottom of your casserole dish or a pie dish and pour the cranberry mixture over the top and serve it that way.

It was perfectly sweet, perfectly tart, and super addictive. I could not stop eating it! The buttery crackers are a must. They definitely compliment the cranberry dip in a way that no other dipping food could!