Hard Boiled Eggs turned Poached Eggs

Apparently it's been awhile since I've boiled an egg.  I tried to boil the water first, then place the egg in oh so slowly so as not to burn myself or splash the scalding water only to have the egg crack and turn into poached eggs instead.  Oh yes - now I remember - you are suppose to place the eggs in the water BEFORE you boil it!

Cookie Cups!!

For anyone who stinks at making cookies like myself - here's a little twist that works like a charm!

Cookie Cups

Take your basic chocolate chip cookie recipe or follow the one below:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda (do not substitute with baking powder - trust me - it doesn't work)
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup M&Ms

Cream together butter, sugars, vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually add flour until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips and M&Ms.  Line mini-muffin pan with paper cups.  Scoop approximately 3/4 a teaspoon of the mixture into each cup.  Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let cool and enjoy!!  Makes approximately 5 1/2 dozen cookie cups.

Interesting Statistics from American Baby January 2010 Issue

51% of people prefer a perfect night's sleep to great sex

85% of moms say parenting is their hardest job

40% of moms are their family's primary breadwinner

about 50% of Americans make New Year's Resolutions

about 75% of them keep resolutions for the first week

as many as 46% keep their resolutions for the first six months

$119 is what a family with kids spends on groceries weekly

only 50% of kids say one word + mama & dada by their first birthday

about 50% of kids walk by 12 months & most walk by 18 mons of age

Muffins by Mom

Ingredients
- 1 package of Betty Crocker Triple Berry Muffin Mix (just add water)
- 1 1/2 Bananas
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1/4 cup Applesauce
- 1 Tablespoon Honey

Directions:
Mix ingredients together until smooth - spoon out into muffin cups (about 2/3 way full) - makes about 8 muffins
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes - let cool 2 minutes then remove from pan to prevent overbaking
Let cool additional 10 minutes before enjoying!

My girls eat these up like they are going out of style!!

Sweet Apple Pie - Take 3 - Best one yet!

SWEET APPLE PIE - TAKE 3 – 11/15/09


APPLE PIE FILLING

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 ½ cups apples, peeled, cored, cut into 16ths (about 8 small apples)

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp sugar

• ½ cup brown sugar

Directions

Grease pie pan (I used stoneware). In a medium heated skillet add the butter then add the apples. Cook for about 2 to 5 minutes then add the cinnamon, brown sugar, and sugar. Swirl the apples around to make sure they all get coated. (Start mixture for Topping below). Cook another 5 minutes until apples are soft and caramelize. Pour apple pie filling into pie pan.

TOPPING

Ingredients

• ¾ cups melted butter

• 1 cup flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions

Mix ingredients above. Pour topping over apple pie filling in pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until crust turned light brown. Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream and Enjoy!!

NOTES: Best one yet!! Whole family likes and stays together well.

Sweet Apple Pie TAKE 2

BASE PIE CRUST – TAKE 2 – 11/04/09


Ingredients

• 1 9” Mrs. Smith’s Deep Dish Pie Shell

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove frozen pie crust from package – let thaw 15 minutes. Thoroughly prick bottom and side of crust with fork to reduce shrinkage and bubbling. Place pie crust in empty pie pan same size as pie crust. Place on baking sheet and bake on middle rack for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F. Cool completely while preparing the apple pie filling and top pie crust. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F.

APPLE PIE FILLING

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 cups apples, peeled, cored, cut into 16ths (about 4-6 apples)

• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ cup brown sugar

Directions

In a medium heated skillet add the butter then add the apples. Cook for about 2 to 5 minutes then add the cinnamon, brown sugar and orange juice. Swirl the apples around to make sure they all get coated. (Start mixture for Top Pie Crust below). Cook another 5 minutes until apples are soft and caramelize. Pour apple pie filling into cooled pie crust.

TOP PIE CRUST

Ingredients

• ½ cups melted butter

• ¾ cup flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Mix ingredients above. Pour top pie crust batter over apple pie filling in pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes until crust turned tan. Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream and Enjoy!!

NOTES: Too cakey/thick – use less flour & cinnamon in Top Pie Crust next time? Try eliminating Base Pie Crust?

Sweet Apple Pie - Take 1

BASE PIE CRUST
Ingredients
1 9” Mrs. Smith’s Deep Dish Pie Shell
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove frozen pie crust from package – let thaw 15 minutes. Thoroughly prick bottom and side of crust with fork to reduce shrinkage and bubbling (I totally forgot to do this until after I bake the pie crust initially - I pricked with a fork then and it seemed to work just fine). Place pie crust in empty pie pan same size as pie crust. Place on baking sheet and bake on top rack for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F. Cool completely while preparing the apple pie filling and top pie crust. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F.

APPLE PIE FILLING
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ½ cups apples, peeled, cored, cut into 16ths (about 6 apples)
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange, juiced
Directions
In a medium heated skillet add the butter then add the apples. Cook for about 2 to 5 minutes then add the cinnamon, brown sugar and orange juice. Swirl the apples around to make sure they all get coated. (Start mixture for Top Pie Crust below). Cook another 5 minutes until apples are soft and caramelize. Pour apple pie filling into cooled pie crust.

TOP PIE CRUST
Ingredients
¾ cups melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Directions
Mix ingredients above. Pour top pie crust batter over apple pie filling in pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes until crust turned tan. Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream and Enjoy!!

RESULTS: Messy - but tasty! Try less liquid in pie filling for take too and cut ingredients by 1/4 for Top Pie Crust. Maybe add Cinnamon for taste? Stay tuned for Take 2...