Rice Krispies Treat Christmas Cake

Bestie Amy just emailed this to me 

and I thought I would share

Looks super cute 

Easy

And good for the kiddos

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need:

~ 9 Tablespoons of Butter

~ 3 Packages of Regular Marshmallows

~ 18 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal

~ 2 Spring Form Pans (I used my large and small size)

~ Red Fruit Leather

~ 2 Candy Canes

~ Red Hot Candies

~ Candy Rope (such as Twizzlers)

Cake Assembly:

1. Make 3 batches of Rice Krispies Treats according to the instructions on the box or the “Original Treat Recipe” as listed on the Rice Krispies site. Do not attempt to make these all in one batch unless you have superhuman stirring powers.

2. Firmly press into buttered spring form pans and cool completely. Two batches in the large pan and one in the smaller.

 3. When completely cooled, remove from pans and stack the smaller “cake” on top of the larger

4. “Ice” the cake with fruit leather strips and candy rope.

5. Detail with Candy Red Hots and insert Candy Canes in a bow formation into treat layers.

6. Cut a slice and serve to friends and family!

Yummy in the Tummy

Thought I would share a couple of recipes I made this week

The first is

Chicken & Broccoli Topped Orzo

This is from a Weight Watchers Cookbook

Circa 1989

(I don't know what year, but it's old)

2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pd chicken cutlets, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 oz uncooked orzo (rice-shaped macaroni)-cooked according to package directions, drained
1 T grated Parmesan cheese

In 10 inch skillet or wok, heat oil over high heat, add garlic and saute for 1 minute
Add chicken and cook, stirring quickly and frequently , until chicken is no longer pink (about 5 minutes)
Add broccoli, broth, salt and pepper and let cook until chicken is tender and mixture is heated through
(about 3-5 minutes)
Serve over hot orzo and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Per serving:
280 calories, 32 g protein, 7 g fat, 20 g carb
I don't know the point value if any one is currently on WW
This is old school

I did find whole wheat orzo in the store this time

Better for you

Not quite as tasty

But overall an easy, yummy meal 

Even the kiddos will eat

Sometimes

This next one I tore out of a magazine

And have been toting it around for a year or two

This is the first time I made this salad

But it won't be the last

It comes from Jamie and Bobby Deen's cookbook

You know, Paula Deen's spoiled rotten boys

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Dressing:
5 slices bacon
11/2 T finely chopped shallots
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1 to 2 T honey mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

Salad:
8 C fresh spinach leaves
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

For the dressing:
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until crisp
Using slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper-towel lined plate to drain
Pour off all but 2 T fat from the skillet
Heat the remaining fat over medium high heat and add the shallots
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper
Scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet
Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat

For the Salad:
Toss together the spinach, bacon, mushrooms, and onion in a large bowl
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine
Serve Warm

I never get much out of Mark when it comes to food

We obviously don't share the same love

"It's fine" or "It's OK"

is about all I ever get

This salad earned me an

"It's really good"

I'll take it

That means this one is a keeper

I love spinach

uncooked

I could eat a spinach salad everyday

2 of my favorite ways are

Spinach, mushrooms, red onion, strawberries and Auntie Ann's raspberry vinaigrette

and

Spinach, sauteed onions, strawberries, and pecans with raspberry vinaigrette

Yummy

ENJOY!!!

Bummer of a Boomer Weekend

Well it was a bummer of weekend for the Boomer Sooner fans!! The QB got hurt, again, very early in the game. I guess the good news is neither team played very well, so at least it wasn't a killin'. And I must say, Mark handled it very well. I was actually quite impressed and enjoyed watching the game with him. OK, so I didn't actually watch all that much. It mostly consisted of Linda and I sitting on the couch talking and Mark pacing the floor. Connor even chose to go upstairs and watch Spider Man. He wore his clothes and yelled the occasional "Boomer Sooner", but he still has his limits and PRIORITIES. Colton was just running around.

Linda and I took the boys to Calloways to get some flowers after the game so that Mark could wallow in his misery alone for a bit....and cut the grass. I'm such a good wife.

And the boys did get their pumpkins painted that morning before kick off.

Colton does not look pleased in this picture-not sure what that is about. He just does not really get the painting thing yet. He prefers to just smear it on his hands. It's washable!!!

I did forget to snap photos during the game. But I must share a recipe. Linda brought over Buffalo Chicken Dip. It tastes just like Buffalo wings without the bone. It has just the right amount of heat to give pregos here major heartburn, but it is so yummy!!! Perfect for game watching!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

2 (10) oz cans chunk chicken, drained

2 (8) packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch dressing

3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks Red Hot

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

crackers, chips, celery, and carrots for dipping

Directions:

mix chicken, cream cheese, ranch, hot sauce, and 1/2 of shredded cheddar cheese.

Heat:

crock pot mini on low until warm or

oven 350F for 20 minutes or

microwave for 2 minutes

it's also good cold

Sprinkle other 1/2 of cheese on tip at the last few minutes just to melt

Other than the football loss, it was a great weekend. The weather was beautiful. I was off work on Sunday (with out asking for it). My MIL took the boys for a few hours so Mark and I could get a few things done around the house. I needed his muscles to move some boxes and get baby stuff out of the attic. What can I say, I'm nesting! But we got it done. As soon as I get it all washed up, I will be good to go. I am looking forward to this weekend too. The Blue Angels are in Ft. Worth so we are going. I hope the boys like their first air show. I have such special memories of going to them with my dad.

Chicken Enchilada Recipe

OK, here is the recipe for Rhonda's chicken enchiladas.....hope you enjoy them as much as I do.


Chicken Enchiladas

2 T butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cut up and softened
3 1/2 C. chopped cooked chicken breast
8 (8 in.) flour tortillas
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
2 C. whipping cream (will say heavy cream)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Add green chiles and saute 1 minute. Stir in cream cheese and chicken. Cook, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas, and place seam side down in a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and drizzle with whipping cream.

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. YUMMY!