Back to School: Breakfast on Hand

For me going back to school meant the end of two things:
1. Sleeping in
2. a "fancy" breakfast
Gone are the days of casually making Paula Deens Praline French toast in your jammies while the kids watch cartoons. It's a whirlwind of backpacks, homework papers, signed forms, lunch boxes & car horns and somewhere in that chaos breakfast needs to be had. I am going to share a fabulous list with you of breakfasts that can be made ahead {or quickly} and on hand for on-the-go portability. I've tried all of these and they all have my Go-To Breakfast stamp of approval!{click on the title and it will take you to the recipe}

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal by Nutmeg Nanny

So this one is to be made when you have a little more time in the morning, but the leftovers are good!! {if there are any} This makes your whole house smell like yummy vanilla and not only is it good and good for you - it will keep you full. Baby S. ate 4 helpings of this in one sitting....yeah it's that good!!

 

 

 Blueberry Waffles by Add A Pinch

Hands down the BEST blueberry waffle I have had to date. And the best part? This makes a great big batch that is perfect for freezing! Leggo of those cardboard eggos and get your hands on these. I freeze them in layers with freezer paper between and on those mornings where I need something fast {or don't want to make anything} I just drop these into the toaster and Ta-Da! A yummy blueberry waffle.

 

 

 No Bake Energy Bites by Smashed Peas & Carrots

These are GREAT!! They are great for a quick breakfast, mid-day snack, after school snack, pre-game fuel - heck! I'd eat these for dessert! When you eat these you will have no idea how great ground flax seed tastes. Using easy, healthy, on-hand ingredients you can make these beautiful balls of deliciousness. Make them. You'll love them. I made them once for a late night cast rehearsal and one of my cast mates hates coconut, but loved it in these!

 

 Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal by Sugar Free Mom

Good with a capital G. I know. You are thinking "really Michelle....oatmeal....really?" Well stop thinking that and make them so you can taste how great these are! Again this is a recipe where you make them in a big batch and freeze in their cute individual cups! Instead of reaching for the variety pack of granola bars that are filled with calories & scientific ingredients you can reach in your freezer for some honest to goodness good for you breakfast in any flavor variety you choose!

 

 Kate's Power Smoothie by Our Best Bites

This smoothie tastes so good and it has spinach in it!! Yeah spinach!! When I was making it Mr. S told me "just don't put in the spinach" well....I did anyways and he couldn't taste it at all. Not only is there spinach, but Kate has you put in some yogurt & groats {like oats but..well I'll let her explain it}. It's fruity, filling and great for on the go! Try it! You AND your hubby, kids, etc will love it!

 

Thank you to all the great blog authors that allowed me to share their great breakfast recipes with you!

and good luck to all you back-to-schoolers out there!!

Homemade Maple Syrup

Oooooh yeaaaah. Maple syrup, it's a must honestly. I know I can't eat a pancake without it.

Maple Syrup is to pancakes as Ryan Gosling is to The Notebook {as a small side note: they now have a Ryan Gosling coloring book...can you believe it!?! brilliant. I think I would color in it while I ate my pancakes}

Okay - back to the syrup - I was one of the lucky girls who's mother made homemade maple syrup. I loved it. It was made every Saturday in large batches for our breakfast pancakes on Saturday & Sunday mornings. While my Mom's syrup wasn't as thick as the kind you find in the store, it is still what I prefer. Ask anyone who had a sleep over at my house and they'll tell you - my Mom's syrup is the best!

To go along with this fabulous syrup a kindred spirit of mine gave me this awesome retro dispenser. I love it. It gives this syrup the finishing touch. I love it so much that I wrote a haiku about it:

Yeah, I really like syrup and the dispenser {and Ryan Gosling}. So I am going to share this syrup recipe with you so you can start creating as many maple syrup memories as I do:

Sugar

Water

Mapeline or Maple Flavoring

I was taught this recipe by my Mom who didn't use measurements and you know me and measurements! This is a guesstimate at measurements {I should have taken pictures sorry} so please get back to me with any problems. I'm going to start you out with a small batch

Put 1 Cup Sugar and 1 1/2 Cups Water in a small saucepan. Put on med-low heat and let heat until it starts to boil. While boiling you want to add your Mapeline. Add enough to make the simple syrup a nice dark color {pictured below}, 1-2 tsp.



Turn the heat down to Simmer and let simmer until the desired consistancy is reached {or the pancakes are ready & everyone is hungry}. If you don't like your syrup on the "Watery-side" like Mr. S states it. You can add a tablespoon of corn syrup and let it simmer in. I don't like to put in too much corn syrup if I'm doing a big batch because if it goes too long it turns into maple candy.

Pour your hot syrup in a retro dispenser, gravy boat or a glass liquid measuring cup {something with a spout is preferable} and Enjoy!!!

I'd love to hear some feedback on this recipe. Let us know! Leave a comment here, on facebook or e-mail: shesaidblog@yahoo.com

For the Grill of It - Quesadillas on the BBQ

When it comes to cooking in the Texas summer, there aren't many options: you can either heat up your house by cooking on the stove, or you can stand outside in the heat to cook on the grill.  No matter how you look at it, it's going to be HOT.  Last night I tried a little culinary experiment using both my stove and the grill, and I was rewarded with delicious results!  I'd been planning to make chicken fajitas for dinner (there are lots of recipes out there, but I used a seasoning mix for mine) and decided to kick them up a notch.  The result was:

BBQ Grilled Quesadillas

Yum!!

These quesadillas are easy to put together.  Here's what you need:

*Tortillas

I used good ol' flour tortillas.  I'd recommend you use the 10" size or smaller so that they're easy to handle on the grill.

*Shredded cheese

I used a mixture of cheddar and pepperjack.

*Filling

I used my chicken fajita filling, but you can use whatever sounds good to you!

Heat your grill to medium-low.  Put a tortilla down on the grill, then top with some cheese -- just eyeball it.  I used enough to lightly cover the surface, leaving a little bit of bare tortilla at the edges.  Spoon on your filling. Don't put a ton on; you want these to stick together well.  Top with more shredded cheese and then another tortilla.  Cook on one side until tortilla has nice grill marks and the cheese is starting to melt, then carefully flip over and grill until done.  If needed, use a spatula to kind of smoosh down your quesadilla so that both tortillas stay on.

That's all there is to it!  Enjoy!

If you want more grilling inspiration, check out this post or this one!

Two Sauces & A Side {for your BBQ}

With the weather being so hot lately the thought of standing over a stove top just makes me exhausted. I don't know about you, but we have been making good use of our BBQ! To help give your different BBQed meats variety I'm sharing with you two of our favorite sauces {and if you are vegetarian scroll down to read about one of my favorite side dishes!}
Now a little side note: I want to remind you that my way of cooking doesn't have exact measurements - I "eye ball" alot of things to make it the right amount that I need. That is the beauty of cooking, it's not a science, it's an art. {Baking is totally different however} So be BRAVE and "eye ball" the ingredients to make the amount you need and taste as you go.

Mr. S. is in charge when it comes to cooking the steak at our house. This steak sauce is always on the table .

Steak Sauce

Ketchup

Worcestershire

Mustard

BBQ Sauce

Hot Sauce {optional}

You want to mix together equal amounts of ketchup, mustard & BBQ Sauce. Use the Worcestershire to get the sauce to the consistency that you want it. I like to add in hot sauce for an extra kick, but you can also do some freshly ground black pepper or try soy sauce for an Asian flair.

This is BY FAR my favorite condiment for steaks, chicken and tacos. I remember eating some portabella fajitas at Chili's once and they served this sauce on the side...I was hooked. You can do this with parsley, but I LOVE it with Cilantro! I love the pungency of the cilantro with the tartness of the vinegar...so good!!

Chimmichuri Sauce

Cilantro (about a cup)

minced garlic {about a Tablespoon}

Red Wine Vinegar {a few healthy splashes}

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

In a food processor combine all ingredients EXCEPT the oil. Pulse until everything is combined and it looks like a paste. While the processor is running, stream in the Olive oil until the paste becomes more like a salsa consistency. Be sure to taste test to see if more salt or vinegar needs to be added.

What kind of a meal would be complete without a side dish? What I love most about these grill packets is that you can use any vegetable that you have on hand. I'll list what I have in this packet, but really the sky is the limit to the different veggie combinations! I few rules come with grill packets:

-Use heavy duty tin foil or two sheets of regular tin foil

- Before anything goes into the tin foil it needs to be coated with a cooking spray or oil so the veggies don't burn and stick to it.

- Vegetables like potatoes and carrots should be cut thin. The thicker they are the longer it takes to cook them {unless you like a crunchy potato, yuck!} For the carrots in this packet I used a vegetable peeler.

Grilled Vegetable Packets

Tin Foil

Olive Oil

Potatoes, thinly sliced

Carrots, thinly sliced

Zucchini

Mushrooms

Bell Pepper Strips

Red Onion

Tomatoes

Salt & Pepper

Seasonings & Parmesan Cheese

Oil your tin foil {either with oil or a cooking spray}. Place your sliced veggies in the center. Your veggies need room to cook in this packet. Pull out enough tin foil so the veggies go in the middle of the foil and you can pull up both sides, folding the edges together until it is rolled down into a packet {ends should be rolled up as well}. If you didn't give yourself enough room, get a second sheet of tin foil, oil it and place it on top of the veggies rolling up each of the sides together. Before you start rolling season your veggies with salt & pepper and your choice of seasonings. I've tried many different kinds, you can go Italian and do basil, oregano & rosemary. You can use a premixed BBQ seasoning, we like McCormick's Spicy BBQ. Along with the seasonings you can also add cheeses or even balsamic vinegar {really yummy} or soy sauce.

Place the packet on the grill and let it cook for ten minutes on each side {total cooking time 20 minutes}. If it puffs up during the BBQing that is just fine. When you take your veggie packet off the grill be sure to test the veggies inside. If they are tender they are ready to eat, but if the potatoes or carrots are still hard, roll it back up and put it back on the grill for another 10 minutes, or until done. **If you are cooking a large veggie packet {i.e. feeding 6+} plan on 30-40min cooking time and be sure to rotate every 20 Mins to ensure veggies are cooked on both sides***

Enjoy!

A Birthday Party for Nan!

It's Nan's birthday and this year I wish I could be with her and have a party! Because we have this amazing place {our blog!} where I can take you anywhere with anyone - come with us as we celebrate another year of Nan with a {virtual} party!

WHERE:

The Queen was gracious enough to let us use Buckingham Palace

DRESS CODE:

Cocktail dresses for the ladies & dapper suits for the gentlemen

GUEST LIST:

Along with Mr. W and other family and friends of Nan's, we will have Audrey Hepburn, Princess Dianna & Jane Austen in attendance.

                                                                                        ENTERTAINMENT:

 After a few rounds of the Red Green Game {Nan would have to explain} we would be dancing the night away with

The BEATLES!!!

GIFTS:

Nan is really not a hard person to shop for. I recently found our friend at  Paramore Artworks has a new line of swag themed  "I'd rather be at Pemberley" {does that scream Nan or what?}

THE CAKE:

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Source

This is a slice of the party you can actually take home with you! Nan {and I} have had this pinned for quite some time. I made it the other night & it was divine. I think it's something Nan would be happy to have as her birthday dessert.

The original recipe was quite labor intensive & kind of tricky. I simplified it. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Inspired and Adapted from Mangio da Sola

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Oreo Cookie Crust:

 about 24 Oreo Cookies

3 TBS Butter, melted

Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs, you should have roughly two cups. Stir in melted butter. Press the Oreo crumb mixture into an 9 inch spring form pan. Eat the rest of the Oreos.

Cheesecake:

4 pkgs (8oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 Eggs

Beat together cream cheese, sugar & vanilla until it is smooth. With mixer on low, beat in each egg one at a time. Pour on top of the cookie crust. Bake for 55 minutes or until the center is set {no wet jiggling when you gently shake the pan}. If there are cracks on the top - don't worry - we'll be covering those up! Let cool for an hour at room temperature and then put it in the fridge for 4 hours. {I made the cheesecake part on Day 1 and the rest on Day 2}

Chocolate Mousse......the EASY way

1 pkg Chocolate Fudge pudding

1 C. Milk

1 C. Cool Whip

Mix the pudding and milk together until blended and thickened. Fold in the cool whip until incorporated.....yeah it's that easy! Sure, it may not be the authentic fancy-shmancy French mousse, but if it makes you feel better just say 'Bon Jour!" to everyone who comes through the kitchen, it will make the pudding more "French" if you are speaking French while making it.

Spread the chocolate mousse on the cheesecake. Let set in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then release the spring form by running a butterknife around the edges before releasing the spring and slowly lift it off the cake.

Let the cake sit in the fridge while you make the ganache for the top.

The best/easiest Ganache that I know of is.......

Our Best Bites: Super Easy Chocolate Ganache

8 oz. Semi sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips (I happen to know that Milk Chocolate works too)

8 oz of Heavy Cream (I also know that whole milk will work as well)

Put the chocolate chips & cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir. Let it go in for another 1 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is fulling melted and stirred into the cream. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure there are no little chocolate bits.

Kate advises that the ganache thickens as it cools so if it seems a bit runny, just wait a minute and it will start to thicken.

As it cools it will be thick and fudgy, like a frosting.

BEFORE it gets thick and fudgy (it should have the consistency of a thick syrup) pour it over the top of the cheesecake letting it run over and down the sides. Let set in the fridge or serve.

Cut into your deliciously rich, decadent pie and think of Nan!

Happy Birthday Nan! You are the best-est friend a gal could EVER have!

Mama Mia! Grilled Pizza

Have you pulled out the BBQ yet? Over here at the S House we have had it out since February! We love to BBQ! One of my favorite things to make on the BBQ is Grilled Pizza. Never had it? Well scroll on down and make it tonight.

You Will Need:

•  Your favorite Pizza dough {at our house we like to use this dough or this whole wheat version, they're quick with no rising time}
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Favorite pizza toppings all sliced & at the ready.

For our Margarita pizza you will need : Tomatoes {Sliced} & fresh Basil leaves
Pre heat your grill
1. Take your dough and divide it into 4 to 5 palm sized balls. Roll your dough out into 6-8" disks. When grilling pizza the thinner the dough the better. Be sure to oil the grill before you put the dough on.
Place the dough on the grill and let cook until you can easily pull the dough off with tongs about 4-5 minutes.
The bottom of the dough should have those great grill marks. The top of the dough will still look soft, but have bubbles on the top.
2. Once the bottoms are cooked place the disks grilled side up on a cookie sheet.
3. { On the grilled side of the pizza} Spoon & spread on the pizza sauce, sprinkle toppings & cheese
* Please note that the pizza will cook quickly. There will not be alot of time for the cheese to melt. Be light on toppings & cheese.*
4. Place the pizza's, carefully, back onto the grill and put the lid on. Let cook for just a few minutes (2-3). It will cook really fast so have the tongs ready to check it. You don't want it to burn!

Place on plates, cut & enjoy!!
I personally enjoy my pizza with a squirt or two of sriracha sauce {I like it spicy!}

These pizzas are great for a party - everyone gets their own & there are infinite topping combinations. Mr S. & I did this for a family dinner at Bear Lake and they were a hit with the kids & adults.

Try it! You'll love it! Shout out your pizza topping combination...

Raise your glass to Flavored Waters!

Have you noticed all of flavored water pins floating around on Pinterest lately? Well I have and in fact pinned a few myself. I'm pretty bad when it comes to drinking the daily 8 glasses we should consume so I thought that maybe spiking it with some citrus {I already love limes in my water} would help me hydrate a bit more.

I started pinning, I started blog trolling and today I'm going to share some of the recipes I have found & tips that help make the most out of your flavored water.

Tips:
- Always use ice! A good glass of water should always be chilled...who wants to drink warm or room temperature cucumbers?
- To get a stronger flavor out of your citrus or herbs squeeze them and/or crush them before putting them in the pitcher. It brings the flavors out.
- The sky is the limit with the combinations of what you can put in your water!! It has been amazing pouring over all these flavored water recipes...there are so many!! And each one is different or can be tailored for your taste. So get creative and try different combinations.
- Flavored waters do have an expiration date. My first pitcher of flavored water was good for three refills {i.e. just refilling it with water and ice and keeping the ingredients in}. Any longer than three the water starts to become bitter and not as strongly flavored.
- It's a great sugar free drink to serve at parties!! Seriously no sugar added in any of these recipes. Any sweetness comes naturally from fruit!
- You can add some club soda or sparkling water to give your water some pizazz.

Recipes:

Lemon & Cucumber {Michelle's FAVORITE!!!}
I think I'm going to be drinking this water all summer long - who knew cucumbers could taste so good in water?!?

1 Lemon
1/2 Cucumber

Slice them thin and put at the bottom of the pitcher. Cover with ice cubes & water till it fills the pitcher.
I've heard that basil or mint are fun herbal additions to this....definitely going to try it!

Watermelon Basil Water {by Nancycreative.com}
You will be surprised with how refreshing this combination is. The basil is amazing!

2 Cups Seedless watermelon, cubed
10 Basil leaves
1 half-gallon of Water

Pour water over watermelon & basil. Chill for 2 hours & serve over ice with a sprig of basil.

Fruit Water {by Nancycreative.com}
This water sounds delicious & looks gorgeous!!! I think it would be perfect for a party.

1 each of the following fruits: apple, lemon, orange, pear
4 large strawberries
Handful of raspberries
Handful of mint leaves
1 half-gallon of water
Cut large slices or thin wedges of each fruit; place them in a large glass pitcher and add cold water. Refrigerate 2 hours and serve over ice in tall glasses.

Sweet Pineapple Strawberry Spa Water {by myspawaterbook.com}
This water is naturally sweet AND the fruit colors the water pink!

1 Pineapple, skinned, cored & sliced
1 carton of Strawberries, cleaned & sliced

Layer fruit at the bottom of the drink dispenser & cover with water.

Flavored Water {by Shewearsmanyhats.com}
I love citrus in my water. Need ideas for the "optional citrus"? I would suggest oranges and grapefruit.

1 gallon fresh water

3-4 slices of lemon

3-4 slices of lime

3-4 slices of other citrus (optional)

3-4 slices of cucumber

Add all citrus and cucumber slices to water. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Strawberry Blueberry Fizz {by nestofposies-blog.com}

She loves serving - and creating her drinks - in mason jars. She also has a recipe for Orange Cilantro water that I want to try.

Fill a glass:

3/4 full of sparkling water

Strawberries (4) Blueberries (small hand full), blended

Ice

Blend Strawberries & blueberries in a blender & add the sparkling water. Serve over ice.

Do you have a flavored water recipe? Please share!!

5 Tips for Cooking with Kiddos

Baby S. & I decided to do some cooking earlier this week - making a special surprise treat for Daddy! And I wanted to share with you my 5 Tips for Cooking with Kiddos:

1. Have all ingredients measured out before hand. Just like in a cooking show, have all the bowls out with their pre-measured ingredients. Little kids have little attention spans and don't like to wait for the 4 cups of Rice Krispies to be measured out (unless they are old enough to do it). It adds some fun - and ease - to be able to go through the instructions and tell the kid to "dump it in!".
2. Have some extra on hand. Who doesn't like to taste as they go? Be sure to have some extra ingredients for kids to nibble on while they are cooking.


3. Expect a mess. Little fingers & big bowls equals some spills. Be sure to have paper towels & dish rags at the ready. Cleaning is part of the cooking process and can also be fun.

4. Let them do it. Let them put in the ingredients, stir, pat, etc. Kids LOVE hands on experiences it's how they learn and the more time they have cooking with you the better and better they get. Let their duties be age appropriate. For this recipe I stirred on the hot stove top and then let Baby S. stir in the extra ingredients away from the hot burner.

5. Keep it simple. Detailed, complicated, multiple step recipes are not the best choice for kid cooking. Recipes that are quick & easy with a few ingredients are the best.

Baby S & I made a hybrid of Rice Krispie Treats. We did half Rice Krispies & half Trix and mixed in some shredded coconut, it turned out GREAT!

What recipes do you make with your kids or remember making as a kid?

List of Three...Comfort Food!

Cold winter weather creates the perfect opportunity for indulging in some of our favorite comfort foods.  Whether it's a favorite childhood food or something recently discovered, everyone has a few recipes that work wonders when it comes to nourishing both body and soul.  Although there are many things I would classify as being "comfort food", here are the first three that came to mind.

 1- Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup.  Come on, who doesn't have a memory involving this?  It HAS to mixed with milk, not water.  My mom always made it his way; it turns the broth yellow and gives it a richer taste.  Add some oyster crackers, and life is good.

2- Spaghetti.  You may find it strange (and Michelle will probably shudder when she reads this), but I love spaghetti with just butter and salt on it.  Growing up, this was my go-to comfort food when I was sick.  A bowl of spaghetti while watching Disney's Cinderella made just about everything better.

3- Chocolate cake.  I have a one-pan recipe that my mom makes.  It's super easy, delicious, and perfect when paired with a glass of milk.

Ho!Ho! Comfort food I think I could ride that train all year long! There are so many different dishes that I can associate with comfort food, but I'll try to whittle it down to my top three:

1- Grilled Cheese Sandwhiches, preferrably with some tomato soup. I really like this on cold, rainy days. There is something about toasted, buttered bread and gooey melted cheese that makes you feel oh so good. In fact when I was preggers I craved them so much that one night I couldn't decide between grilled cheese and hamburgers that Mr. S made me a hamburger with grilled cheese sandwhiches as buns....how is that for love, comfort and ...calories!

2 - Spaghetti. If anyone ever asks me if I could only have one food for the rest of my life this would be the one! Now I don't share the same love for butter and salt, but I do love my Dad's tomato sauce. It's actually made me a spaghetti sauce prude. I'm very picky about my spaghetti sauce. Whenever I go home this is what I request - homemade spaghetti sauce please!

3- Macaroni & Cheese. I think if you want to comfort me just give me melted cheese!! A small talent of mine is that I can eat a whole box of Mac & Cheese by myself, it's true. But I have found a new...little more healthy love, in homemade macaroni & cheese. I'll have to share the recipe with you in another post, but it's oh so good and I could eat the whole cassorole dish and not feel guilty - a little gluttonus, but not guilty!

What are your three favorite comfort foods?