My mom has a small vegetable garden at her home and gave me three large zucchinis to use. In return, I told her I would make some bread with it and share it back. This is what came of that venture...
Ever get a hankering for Mexican food but you are either too broke or just don't have the ability to obtain said Mexican food? I get these cravings frequently and I finally found a cure!
Step 1. Gather your seasonings (crushed red pepper, season-it-all, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and minced onion). Measure out roughly 1/8 teaspoon of each (to taste - remember... I like mine with a kick!) and mix in a small dish. Set aside.
So in case you haven't been able to figure this out about me, yet... I am all about finding an easy way to do things. I love to cook and all, but lately I have had so much on my plate that I just haven't really had the time to do so. Today was one of those days. I was able to think ahead enough to thaw out some chicken, though and just knew I would need to figure out something to do with it later while Little Man was napping...
So once he was down for a good while, I pulled the 2 pounds of thawed chicken out and cubed it up into rough, bite-sized pieces. I knew I wanted to use the crock pot for today so I wouldn't have to fuss with it during the busy afternoon. So I started searching the cabinets. That's when I remembered all of those recipes I had seen on Pinterest that went something like "Chicken Cheese & Rice Casserole" done in a crock pot... so I thought I should be able to figure something out with my knowledge in the kitchen, right?
Here are my Cheater PB cookies. They are some of the easiest homemade cookies you will ever make, but so delicious! I am including the recipe below, but you can find it on the Featured Recipes Page also.
You will need:
1 box yellow cake mix 1/2 cup oil (I used canola) 1-1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter 2 large eggs Optional: chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Mix all ingredients until blended well. Scoop into a greased muffin tin (about 1-2 tsp size per muffin cup). Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack for remainder of cooling period. Store in air-tight container.
By using the cake mix, you get the pre-measured flour, sugar, etc. By using the muffin tin, you contain each cookie in its own round shape so you don't have a bunch of funky shaped looking things you have to cut up afterwards. Just use a spatula to pop them out and ta-da!
I made this as well as some Cheater PB Cookies for our Family Mother's Day Luncheon this afternoon. I did it Saturday afternoon so I could relax and it was so super easy. Everyone loved the pie and the cookies, but especially the pie. It is super creamy and rich. I cut it into 8 pieces, but would definitely recommend 10-12 because it is so rich. If you like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I am sure you will love this decadent tasting dessert! Give it a try! I posted the recipe below, but it is also up on the recipe page for you already with a picture as well.
Crust: 25 Oreos 1/3 cup butter, melted
Put all oreos into the food processor or blender and blend until consistently smooth like sand. Mix in melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press into a 9" pie plate and make sure to press all the way to the top of the sides, don't skimp. Cover with plastic wrap or Wax paper for protection and chill in refrigerator for one hour.
Filling: *(Prepare once crust has chilled) 8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1 c. creamy peanut butter, softened (microwave for 10-15 seconds) 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12 oz. Cool Whip
Beat cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth. Add in 8 oz. of Cool Whip and fold in until mixed well. Pour filling into crust and smooth top over. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Optional: Place a large dollop (remaining 4 ounces) of Cool Whip just before serving.
This was breakfast this morning... Let me just say... OMGosh! These were soooo good and even Little Man was begging for more after I started sharing with him, which was a big mistake, since I only had three for myself. Read more for the recipe!
Jessica is one of my new neighbors and she is so much like me it is crazy! She is great at sharing her thrifty tips and tricks! I linked her blog so you can check it out Show her some love. :)