Hey I have NOT forgotten my blog!!!

Just busy, you know baseball kicked into gear and

well with three of them in ball 5 days a week

I've been swamped.

Ohh and on top of it all,

we bought a house and I have been cleaning and painting 

packing and unpacking. I do have some great recipes

 to post as soon as I get the time!!

I promise I will soon!!

Thanks for looking!

Birthday Dress

Looking for a cute little girls birthday dress??

Then check out 

With Love and Thread on Etsy!!

Beacon Leek Cream Sauce

This sauce is KICKIN', 

Hope you like it as much as I do!!!

What you need:

2 Cups Heavy Cream

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Large Leek, Sliced

1/2 Lb Bacon, Chopped

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

In a skillet cook your chopped bacon till crispy, once 

crisp remove bacon from pan to a paper towel lined plate.

Add leek to bacon grease and saute until soft.

Then add heavy cream, milk and garlic.

Simmer till thickened.

Pour on top of meat, seafood or vegetables.

Enjoy!!!

Reese's Pieces Pudding Cookies

This is a to die for twist on the 

Peanut Butter cookie.

What you'll need:

2 1/4 C Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 C Soft Butter

1/4 C Sugar

1 C Brown Sugar

1 Pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

1/2 C Peanut Butter Chips

1 C Reese's Pieces 

Mix all the dry ingredients together,

 then add butter, vanilla, and eggs.

Using your Tbsp form dough into balls, lay on 

cookie sheet 

(with extra room, these do spread out a bit.)

Bake @ 325 for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sizzling Steak Loaded Bake Potato

Stuck in a rut with the steak and baked potato dinner?!

Well give it alittle life. Stuffing your baked tater 

with steak, Onions and Mushrooms!

What you'll need:

1 Lb. Beef Strips

1 Large Onion

1 Container of Mushrooms 

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tbsp A1-Steak Sauce

Salt & Pepper

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

6 Baked Potatoes

6 Tbsp Butter

Take your beef strips and marinate them with worcestershire and

A1 sauces for about an hour or overnight. Heat

a skillet on med-high and coat with cooking spray,

add beef and cook for a 1-2 mins on each side.

Set beef off to the side in a large dish. 

Spray pan with cooking spray again and

add onions. Cook onions until soft and golden,

flipping every minute or so, add onions to the beef strips.

Add  olive oil to pan and heat add mushrooms 

( I sliced mine)

cook mushrooms until golden brown, add 

beef and onions back to pan, salt and pepper to taste. 

Split open hot baked potatoes with one tablespoon butter on each,

top with beef mix and enjoy!!

Tin Cakes

Well do you ever get stuck trying to figure out what to do 

for a kids birthday party!?

Well we've come up with a Cake Boss Party!!

The kids will each get to make their own little cakes in 

an empty tin can, such as a soup or veggie can!!!

What you'll need:

1 Box White Cake Mix

1 Can of soda 

(ex. Cranberry Splash or Cherry 7up)

Pam spray 

Flour

1 Tin Can Per Person

Toothpick

Pre-heat oven according to directions on the cake box. 

Spray each can with pam on the inside and then lightly flour inside of can.

In a large mixing bowl dump cake mix and a can of soda.

Mix until well combined,

add batter to each can filling it half full.

Bake them for 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool then dump cakes out of can.

You can decorate as a whole piece or

slice the top off to make it level,

then slice the cake in half or into 3 piece

and decorate like a layered cake!!

Enjoy this fun project!!

Slimmed Down Taco Dip

I am such a food junkie,

I have now admitted my addiction!

Step one of my recovery program is

Try to skinny up my cooking!!!

Now wish me luck!

What you'll need:

1 Reduced Fat Cream Cheese

 (brought to room temp)

1 Cup Reduced Fat Taco Cheese

1 Cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

2 Cups Guacamloe  (optional)

1 Cup Salsa

1 Packet Taco Seasoning

1 Cup Diced Tomatoes

1 Cup Shredded Lettuce

1/2 Cup Sliced Olives

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion

Mix cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning together.

Spread in a serving dish, now in layers top with guacamole,

salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, olives and onion.

Set in fridge to let flavors combine

until ready to serve!!!

Fixed Up Baked Beans

Who really wants to make baked beans from scratch??

Well maybe try in once but not every time you want beans.

So I fix up a can of pre-made beans!

Make sure you bake them,

no pan heating!

No one will ever know the difference.

What you'll need:

1 lg can of Baked Beans 

(whatever's your fave, I use onion)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 small onion, diced

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp mustard

crisp bacon or real bacon bits

In a oven safe dish pour in your beans, brown sugar,

onion, ketchup, mustard and bacon.

As much bacon as you like!!!

Mix well and 

bake @ 350 for 2 hours.

Enjoy!!  

Rouladen

This is a German dish also known as 

Flip Steaks.

The cooking process isn't your 30 min meal

prep but this is yummy!

Can we say Bacon,
Now what's the saying ????
Ahh that's right.....

Everything's better with bacon!!

What you'll need:
4-6 round steaks (sliced thin)
2-3 cups beef broth
dijon mustard
4-6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion sliced
salt & pepper
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
flour
water
toothpicks


To begin you'll need to pound your meat slices really thin.
Now it times to fill the steaks.
Salt and pepper one side of the meat,
then flip over and spread a thin layer of mustard over the meat.
Now put a layer of onion on each steak using half the onion
 and then top each steak with one piece of  bacon
(I fold my bacon into a V shape on top of the onion.)
Now roll them up and secure with a toothpick.
In a large skillet with a lid heat the oil and butter.
Brown the roll-ups on each side,
add the rest of the onion in the pan after browned,
cook onion for a couple minutes.
Add 2 cups broth
 (add more broth if needed before thickening)
and simmer for 2 hours.
Once simmered remove meat,
(remove toothpicks)
in a small bowl add 2 tablespoon flour and some water,
just enough to make a thin paste.
Add to broth mixing well and add meat back.
Let simmer until thick and/or until meat is tender.

Enjoy 

Bacon Cheese Burgers

The weather is fabulous! 

Time pull out the big bad GRILL!!!

I love grilling and not to mention 

big blown out BBQ Bashes!!

What you'll need:

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 lb ground beef

16 slices bacon

Preheat a grill for high heat.

In a large bowl, mix together the cheeses, onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add ground beef, and mix together by hand. 

Form into 8 patties, and wrap two slices of bacon around each one, kinda like in a plus sign.

 Secure bacon with toothpicks.

Place patties on the grill, and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Remove toothpicks before serving on hamburger buns.

Happy grilling to you!

Ginger Soy Kani Salad

So I've started a diet and I love a 

Kani Salad.

But its full of mayo, So I kinda changed it up some!

What you'll need:

1 pkg. Imitation Crab

2 English Cucumbers

4 Hard Boiled Eggs

Ginger Soy Sauce 

Julianne the crab, cucumbers and eggs.

Mix them altogether and 

drizzle the ginger soy sauce over top

Just enough to coat the salad.

This is to die for,

Hope you enjoy!!!  

Oreo Poke Cake

Ohhh how my children love Oreo's. 

So I heard someone say something about Oreo Poke Cake, 

So I did my search and to find out its pretty simple. 

Just my style!!

So I decided to make one myself,

but I think I want to attempt to add cream cheese.

SO here it is, YUMMM-O!!

What you'll need:

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (made according to directions)

2 Boxes Oreo Pudding

4 Cups Milk

1/3-1/2 A Package of Oreo's crushed

Bake your cake as directed on box,

just before you take it make your pudding mix.

Mix both boxes with 2 cups milk.

Let the pudding sit for a few minutes and

 then take your cake your.

With the round end of a wooden spoon 

poke holes all over the warm cake.

Pour pudding mix over cake, cover with crushed 

Oreo's and then 

let it sit in the fridge at least an hour.

Then serve!!!

Easy Cocktail Meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs?!

Well in my house these are a huge hit!

What you'll need:

1 Bag of Frozen Meatballs

1 Jar Cocktail Sauce

1 Can Cranberry Jelly

Hot Sauce (optional)

Dump your bag of meatballs in a crock pot and 

pour cocktail sauce and cranberry jelly on top. Once 

the sauce has combined about an hour after you start 

add a couple drops of hot sauce.

More or less as to how hot you'd like it.
But hot sauce is optional.
Serve by self or on buns!

Kani Salad

Every one that knows me knows

I LOVE SUSHI!!!

Here's a salad I like when eating sushi.

What you'll need:

1 Tbsp Kewpie Mayo

 1 Tsp Hot Sriracha Sauce

Imitation Crab

Cucumber

Julienne your cucumber and crab

and toss in a mixing bowl.

In a small bowl mix 

mayo and hot sauce.

Double or triple the batch till you have enough 

for your salad.

Toss spicy mayo, crab and cucumber together.

Now dig in and enjoy!!

Reuben Casserole

One of my weaknesses are Reuben's. 

Ohh how I love anything reuben. 

So here's one of my favorite Reuben recipes.

What you'll need:

1 Large onion chopped

1 Container sour cream

1 Can sauerkraut (with juices squeezed out)

1 Can cornbeef

10 Swiss cheese slices

1/2 Loaf Rye bread cubed

1 Stick of melted butter

In a 9x13 pan spread chopped onion top with sour cream,
layer drained sauerkraut on top,

followed by a layer of crumbled cornbeef.

Top cornbeef with swiss cheese, cubed bread,

then pour melted butter over top and bake

@ 350 degress till hot and bubbly 20-30 min!!!

Cheerio Bars

Do you like rice krispy treats? Well then try these Cheerio Bars but
 I warn you they Are addicting!

What you'll need:

1c. Peanut Butter

1c. Sugar

1c. Honey

6c. Cheerios

Add cheerios to a large bowl,

Bring honey and sugar to a boil in a medium sauce pan.

Remove from heat and add peanut butter, mix till smooth.

Pour over cheerios and mix well. Pour

Into a 9x13 pan, let cool and cut into squares.

Taco Bake

What you'll need:

1lb Hambuger

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 Taco Seasoning Pack

1 Box Kraft Deluxe Mac-n-Cheese

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Cheddar Cheese (divided)

2 Cups Crushed Corn Chips (plain or flavored)

Make Mac-n-Cheese according to directions 

and then add the sour cream and half of the cheese.

 Brown hamburger and drain. While draining meat add tomatoes and taco seasoning to pan
 add hamburger back to pan and mix well.  `

Pour meat mixture into casserole dish, top meat with the Mac-n-Cheese.

Top with remaining cheese and crushed chips.

Yummmm-O, Enjoy!!

With Love And Thread

With Love And Thread

Do you love cute dresses for girls!? 

Well I do!!

With Love And Thread has some cute dresses for that little girl you have in mind.

Here's my sassy little girl Kennedy in the 

Kennedy A-line dress from 

With Love And Thread's Kennedy Line!

But don't think it's only about those sweet little girls. April also has some cute boy stuff too!! 

Check out April's creations and see if you find something you like!

What's a green thumb?!

As spring approaches are you thinking about your garden!?

I am! 

As I look at a photo of the first yield from the garden last year.

Well. let's say I bought some of the seeds and plants to help start the garden.

That's about the only thing I really did

besides go and get what my family members worked so hard to turn it into.

I don't have so much of the green thumb in the family. I do 

plan on working on those skills the year!!! I am sure my parents and grandmother 

will be pleased for the extra hands in helping with the garden this year. 

Cleveland Indians

BASEBALL

Yes, I am a die hard Cleveland fan. Grew up watching the Indians and the Browns!!

Yes, I will admit I am a BROWNS fan. 

SLIDDER and me fall of 2011

Baseball will be in full swing sooner then you think!!!

When my family and I aren't watching the Cleveland Indians we're watch 

the AAA baseball team the Columbus Clippers!!!!

We love spending time at the Clippers stadium. My kids are apart of the 

Columbus Clippers MVP kid's club.

They truly make the kids feel like they are apart of the Clippers family!!!

 Here are some of the MVP kids out on the field waiting to greet the players as they come out.

So if your in the area check them out!!!

Clippers kids club

DIY Avocado Trees

Experimenting with Avocado seeds

I have always wanted an Avocado Tree, so I decided to try growing one myself.

 Side view

Top view

When I found this blog apartment therapy with the how to grow an 

avocado tree I jumped on the ban wagon.

These pictures are on day 3. So I'll update the growth in a couple weeks! 

Check it out and see if you can do it too!

PB & J

A perfect finger food!

Peanut butter stuffed Blackberries are like mini PB & J without all the bread!!!! 

You will need:

1 Container fresh Blackberries

1/2 Bag peanut butter chips

1/2 Teaspoon shorting (optional)

Rinse Blackberries

Then lay them on a towel and pat dry.

Make a small cut down one side, but not all the way through.

Just enough to open the blackberries up. 

Pour peanut butter chip in a microwave safe dish and heat in 15 second at a time until melted smooth.

Add shorting and mix well. 

Pour mix into a zip lock baggie and snip a corner.

Fill each berry with filling and let them set up for 15 mins.

Enjoy!!!

Fun Family Times

Well here's to my first post as a blogger!!!! 

My beautiful family at the beach having fun, which we love!