Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

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Check out these awesome Valentine's Recipes!

Click HERE for the original Recipes.

And in case you still need a Valentine's Dinner Menu...

Click HERE for the recipes!

Have a LOVE-ly Day!

Valentine's Day Dinner Menu for you and Your Sweetie

Valentine's Day is almost here!!

I hope you are busy making plans to celebrate
with you and your loved one - whether thats a significant other
or just a group of girlfriends you truly love!

I know how nice it can be to go out to a fancy restaurant,
but sometimes its nice to stay in and cook a delicious dinner.
If that's you this weekend, than look no further for the perfect menu!

Why is this the perfect Valentine's Day Menu, you ask?
Well let me say one word.

Chocolate. Yes, Chocolate.

Every recipe in the menu contains chocolate.

I'll give you a moment to soak that in.

Well let's not delay!
I present your perfect Valentine's Day Menu FULL of Chocolate!

Berry Spinach Salad with Chocolate Dressing

I've never been so excited to eat a salad in my life!

Shopping List:

1 bg Baby Spinach

1 container Fresh Strawberries, quartered

1 container Blackberries

1 C Honey Roasted Almonds

Dressing:

1 oz square Dark Chocolate, melted

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Honey

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Assemble salad
2. Mix together ingredients in dressing. Dress salad. Enjoy!

Chocolate Rub Top Sirloin

Shopping List:

2 Top Sirloin Steaks
(Or steak of choice)

1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Mix steak rub.
2. Coat Steak.
3. Grill steaks or sear in pan with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil over medium heat until cooked to desired wellness. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

These are my absolute favorite.
You won't believe how delicious these puppies are!!
And since we are using a box mix, they are super easy to make!.

Shopping List:

1 box Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 C (one stick) Butter, softened

2 Eggs, beaten

1 bottle Red Food Dye

1 container Cream Cheese Frosting

1 C Mini Chocolate Chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together cake mix, butter, eggs, and food dye. Drop 1 inch scoops of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.
3. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely (at least 15 minutes).
4. Spread cream cheese frosting on bottom of one cookie and sandwich together with another.
5. Place mini chocolate chips in a bowl and roll whoopee pie so that frosting becomes coated in chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Recipe from Betty Crocker

Tomorrow we is our 1 Yr Blogiversary and celebrate we will! 

I can hardly believe it!

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See ya tomorrow!

SuperBowl Sunday Menu

This weekend is the SuperBowl! 

I love the SuperBowl - not so much because I care about football 

(or at least NFL football - this family is allllllll about Penn State Football!), 

but because I do love watching a good game, 

I looove funny commercials, I Loooooove SuperBowl food, 

and I LOOOOOVVVEE any excuse to have a party with friends. 

So whether you will be rooting for the 

Denver Broncos for the Seattle Seahawks, 

you are gonna need some delicious munchies for you and your guests! 

And Quick and Easy is best because who wants to be slaving away 

in the kitchen while the game and all your guests 

are in the living room crowded around the tv?!

Let's start with things you can use as the main meal. 

I'm fine to snack on appetizers all night, 

but my friend Ryan says we have to have "something substantial." 

Well for all of the Ryan's in the world, here are some suggestions:

Meatball Subs

Now there is nothing special about this recipe. 

In fact, I really didn't make any of it. 

But we said quick and easy, right? 

Throw these puppies in the slow cooker, 

set out some buns and cheese, 

and you have a self-serve meal that is ready all night.

Click HERE for the recipe.

Slow Cooker Cola Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork is another recipe you can throw in the slow cooker, 

set some buns beside and walk away. 

Always warm, always ready to eat. 

And this fun recipe has an extra fun taste 

by adding a can of your favorite soda!

Click HERE for the recipe.

Chocolate-y Crockpot Chili

When I think of SuperBowl food, 

I automatically think of Chili. 

Make ahead in the crockpot, 

and set out a fun toppings bar! 

Some cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, 

maybe some fritos! So good! 

Annnd! This recipe will have you ready for 

Valentine's Day at the same time! 

CHOCOLATE is an ingredient. Yes, I said it. Chocolate.

Click HERE for the recipe.

Meat & Veggie Stromboli

Stromboli's are another perfect football-watching food. 

And you can stuff them with several different things 

to have a variety for your guests! 

Here are two recipes for Meat and Veggie Strombolis. 

Excuse the poor photo quality. 

This was my first recipe on Teach Me How to Cookie!

Click HERE for the recipe.

Ok, let's switch gears to appetizers. 

Here are some Awesome Apps your guests will love to snack on!

Quick and Easy Guacamole

Last night I bought a huge bag of avocados. 

With several parties this weekend, 

I plan to be making lots of guac. 

This recipe is so simple, yet sooo good!

Click HERE for the recipe.

Originally this was a Halloween recipe, 

so you can ignore the cute little Frankenguac cup 

and just make the guacamole. 

And you may want to double triple this recipe!

Crescent Pizza Rolls

These are one of my favorites! 

And your kids will love this one too. 

3 ingredients and done.

Click HERE is for the recipe.

Mandy's Fresh Avocado and Feta Salsa

My friend Mandy shared this wonderful recipe a few months ago. 

It's a fun twist on traditional salsa, and since everything is fresh, 

it is actually a more HEALTHY option!

Click HERE for the recipe.

Cabbage & Ramen Noodle Salad

Now this recipe isn't technically an appetizer, 

but this salad is such a hit, I just had to include it. 

I have had so many people tell me how much they love this salad, 

or that they took it to a party and it was gone as soon as they served it. 

It's one of my top 5 viewed recipes! 

Your guests will LOOOVE this salad!

Click HERE for the recipe.

That's all for today! 

But on Sunday, I will be sharing 2 last minute recipes 

for those of you who are still scrambling. 

Nutella Football Cupcakes and Buffalo Chicken Dip. 

Both quick. Both easy. 

See you on Game Day!

The Perfect Meal for Trick-or-Treat Night

Halloween is upon us! 

I can hardly believe it. 

For me, this really is the first holiday of the holiday season, 

so naturally I am so excited!! 

I imagine most of us will be having Trick-or-Treat night 

at some point this week, and that means there's the question 

of "what to do for dinner" that night. 

If you've got kiddos, you're trying to get them home from school, 

homework done, dressed in costume, bundled for the cold, 

and out the door in time. 

If you don't have kiddos (like me!) you're racing home from work, 

picking up last minute candy from the store, 

and fixing your front porch Halloween decorations 

in time for that first doorbell ring. 

Dinner, is probably the LAST thing on your mind that night! 

We don't have time to be cooking up an elaborate meal during all this rush! 

However, I know I'm still thinking about 

how to get something substantial in me, 

before consuming mass amounts of sugary goodness later. 

Well fear not! I have put together the perfect, 

SUPER super easy meal that you can have ready for your family 

in minutes - because you only have minutes 

before its out the door in pursuit of bulging bags of candy! 

Through a few prepare-ahead items, and some grocery store cheats, 

you can have a delicious meal on the table 

for your family that will be fast and easy. 

Let's Get Started!!

Dinner: Meatball Subs

Meatball Subs are great because you can throw the meatballs 

in the crockpot that morning, and by dinner time, they are ready to serve. 

True Confession: At the grocery store I reached for the ground beef 

to make the meatballs, and directly next to them 

were already made meatballs - same amount of meat, and only 50 cents more! 

We are about quick and easy here, people! 

Which do you think I went with! 

Don't feel guilty on nights like these about getting a little help 

from the grocery store pre-mades. 

Do you want to spend your time laboring over dinner? 

Or with your little ones as they embark on 

one of their favorite nights of the year?

However, I know some of you. 

And I know some of you will still want 

to make your own meatballs - and I mean, you can make them ahead of time 

and even freeze them. For those of you who want to make your own, 

click HERE for a great recipe from Six Sisters Stuff.

Shopping List:

Pre-made meatballs

(From the meat section, next to the ground beef).

1 container Marinara Sauce

2 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Sub Sandwich Rolls

- OR-

Ingredients from the homemade meatball recipe

Method:

1. The morning of Trick-or-Treat night, place meatballs and marinara sauce in crockpot. Season with Italian seasonings, if desired. Cook 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

2. Assemble sub with a little extra marinara sauce from the bottom of the crockpot and some mozzarella cheese.

Side: Caesar Salad

Ok we need some greens right? 

So here is a fast and easy Caesar Salad. 

True Confession: I picked up a Caesar Salad Kit from my grocery store. 

I had all of the ingredients already in the package - even the dressing! 

But for you guys who want to make your own, you still can quickly and easily.

Shopping List:

Caesar Salad Kit

(With the bags of salad in the grocery store. 

I used Marketside Light Caesar Salad Kit).

- OR- 

Romaine Lettuce

Grape Tomatoes

Parmesan Cheese

(I actually used mozzarella since we had 

some left over from the meatball subs).

Croutons

1 bottle Caesar Salad Dressing

Method:

1. Assemble salad. That's it!

Dessert: Spider Web Brownies

So not all of us get to eat the candy on Trick-or-Treat night. 

And shouldn't the adults have something spooky and sweet to eat? 

YES! 

These brownies are so fun and you can make them the day before. 

I practiced the spiderweb design on a plate before, I tried it on the brownies. 

Shopping List:

1 box Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix

(I used Pillsbury).

1 13oz container Marshmallow Fluff

(I used Jet-puffed).

1 bag Black Cookie Icing for piping

(I used Betty Crocker).

Method:

1. Prepare Brownies according to box directions.

2. Remove brownies from oven and immediately spread marshmallow creme. Cool completely.

3. Decorate with black icing to create spider web. Enjoy!

There you go! Super, super easy!

You'll have this meal on the table and minutes and even have a few extra 

to snap some pics of your adorable kiddos all dressed up in costume 

before you head out the door.

Check back tomorrow for a yummy Halloween Munch 

guest posted by my sister Hannah.

All that's left to say is...

Trick-or-Treat!