Follow my friend!

My friend April is awesome!  She recently started a blog.  She's a savvy shopper, both online and offline.  She's also very crafty.  Here's a link:

http://alabamafrugalista.blogspot.com/

Also, if you have a few seconds to spare, we both have ads on the right side of our pages.  It may not be anything you care about, but we get a few cents if you just click on it.  Eventually, when the total gets to a certain amount, we will get paid for it.  It's not much, but it's money.  So would you please click our ads?  This stay-home-mom would GREATLY appreciate it.  I'm gonna do my best to sign in every day just to click April's ads and help her out.  =)

I haven't tried any new blog-worthy recipes lately.  I will tell you what we made last night though.


Homemade Pizzas

• ready to bake personal size pizza crusts (3 per pack)
• Kraft shredded Italian cheese, 2 bags
• pepperoni
• 1 jar Ragu pizza sauce
• real bacon pieces
• vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly brush each crust with oil.  Spoon sauce into center of crust and spread evenly to edge.  Top with cheese, then meats.  Lower temperature of oven to 425 degrees.  Bake pizzas until cheese is melted and crust just begins to brown on edges.

I was easy on the bacon, but it was a tasty addition.  The cheese was very good.  Much better than just plain mozzarella.  This is a plain, basic, super easy recipe that my kids really love.  The crust is neither crispy nor chewy so it's a change from the frozen stuff we get.

Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I'll have a new recipe or two to try.  I know I'll be adding an Oriental Coleslaw recipe, and probably my whipped potatoes recipe.  If I start feeling froggy I might dig out my old notebook I used to use that I copied my mom's recipes in when I first got married.  =)

Have a great day.

Happy Veteran's Day to any of you who may have served!  And a big, heartfelt THANK YOU!

Stephee

Homemade Butterfinger

1 lb. candy corn
16oz jar peanut butter (I used JIF)
16oz pkg. chocolate candy coating (I used CandiQuik)

Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking in 15-second intervals til melted, stirring after each interval. Stir in peanut butter. 

Spread mixture in an 8x8 pan lined with parchment.

 Cool completely. Cut into squares. 

Dip in melted chocolate candy coating. Lay on waxed paper to set.

My kitchen has no ventilation and I live in the South, so I had loads of humidity going against me with this recipe.  I ended up refrigerating my candy before coating it with the chocolate because the orange stuff just wasn't setting.  I had no trouble after it chilled for a bit.  Now, the center does NOT have the same texture as a Butterfinger.  It isn't crispy, it is soft.  I do think if it is kept chilled, possibly even frozen for a little while, it will crisp.  It's also not quite as salty as the candy bar, and if I try to make this again, I will consider adding a little salt to the mix.  Don't confuse these comments with dislike though, it's a very tasty candy.  Candy corn is also available year round if you look in the right spot at the grocery store.  It was quick and easy to make, and if you'd like to surprise people with a unique party dish, I'd suggest trying this.  I also think it might have been tasty with a white chocolate flavored candy coating to shake things up a little.

Stephee

Chicken & Dumpling Pocket Casserole

This has been a week full of testing recipes I found on Pinterest.  Earlier this week I tried Pilsbury Garlic Butter Crescent Rolls in a pizza bite recipe.  I bought the same flavor for this test recipe.  The pockets have a bit of a crunch where they are browned, but a chewy dumpling-like texture where they cooked in the soup mixture.  Inside is almost like a pot pie, minus the vegetables.  Here is what I did:


Ingredients


Soup mixture

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 c shredded cheese
• 1/2 c milk

Filling

• 2 c shredded chicken
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp milk
• 1/2 c shredded cheese

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add all herbs and spices and beat.  Add milk, using more or less depending on consistency.  You want it to be thick enough to spoon, but not thing enough to be drippy.

Add cream mixture to prepared chicken and add shredded cheese.  Mix well, and set aside.  Prepare soup mixture with ingredients listed.  It does not need to be heated, just mixed well. 

Roll out dough, pressing together the seams of 2 triangles to form a square.  Top each square with a heaping spoonful of chicken mixture.

Fold dough over mixture, then turn over and press down slightly to  form the pockets.

Spray 13x9 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour half of the soup mixture into the dish.

Place pockets in pairs into the dish.  Pour remaining soup mixture over pockets.

Bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour.  If desired, during the last 10 minutes of cooking, sprinkle 3 Tbsp of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs over pockets for a bit of a crunch.

These turned out to be very flavorful since I used the garlic rolls.  I think they would have been better with just regular crescents.  The filling packs a lot of creamy flavorful punch in a small bite.  The kids weren't very much into this dish, but they have never been fans of pot pie or dumplings.  This recipe is a combination of the two.  But for those of us with a taste for more than ketchup covered fried foods, these are a very comforting cold weather meal.  Enjoy!

Stephee