French Bread Pizza

With Summer here and Baseball, T-Ball and all other sorts of activities going on, quick and easy meals become a necessity! This is one my mom used to make when we were kids and it is simple and quick!

French Bread Pizza

• 1 loaf french bread (I used a loaf I had made for dinner a few nights ago)
• pizza sauce (great homemade recipe on this site!)
• mozzarella cheese
• pizza toppings

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Cut your french bread loaf in half lengthwise. Place on a cookie sheet.

Then place your sauce, cheese and toppings. Your kids can help with this too!

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned the way you like!

Easy Key Lime Pie

I received key limes in my Bountiful Basket this last week or so and decided to try key lime pie. When Todd and I traveled more, we went to Key West and had key lime pie and really liked it. So a try I did and this one was easy as it described and good! I found this on Real Mom kitchen, she always has simple recipes and lots of good finds!

Thanks!

Easy Key Lime Pie

(www.realmomkitchen.com)

• 1 9-inch prepared graham cracker shell (I made my own crust, recipe to follow)
• 1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (or use 1/2 cup hot water + 1 cup sugar + 1 cup dry powdered milk + 1 tbsp butter, mixed thoroughly in blender)
• 4 large egg yolks
• zest from 1 lime (can use a regular lime)
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (you can buy bottled juice too!)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 heaping tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Whisk until will combined. Whisk in lime juice.

Allow filling to sit while you zest the lime. Add lime zest and whisk just until combined.

Pour the lime filling into the pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour.

The filling will become set as it cools. When cool, place the pie in the refrigerator. Chill for at least one hour before serving, but it is best if you can chill for 12 hours.

Combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Pipe or spread whipping cream over pie and serve. makes 8 servings.

Graham Cracker Crust (Better Homes and Garden cookbook)

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 18)

Melt butter and then stir in sugar. Add crushed crackers; toss to mix well. Spread evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Press into bottom and sides to form a firm, even crust. Chill about 1 hour or till firm. (Or, bake in a 375 degree oven for 4-5 minutes or till edge is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.)

Rotisserie Chicken - Crockpot Style

I got this recipe from Melissa W. who got it from Heather S.! Yes a long chain, but good recipes are always worth finding! This chicken had great flavor and it fell apart when it was done! I have to admit, I think I am not a whole chicken fan! Something about all the bones and parts, I am just not to fond of dealing with! I will say though that this recipe is a keeper and I will definitely make again! If I don't buy another whole chicken for a while, I think I will use this to rub onto chicken breasts!

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Rotisserie Chicken - Crockpot Style

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
• 2 tsp kosher salt (if you want it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Place whole chicken in a crock pot. A 6 quart crockpot fits a 5 lb bird nicely! (don't forget to rinse your chicken and get the neck and other stuff out of the center!)

In a bowl, combine all of the dried spices. Rub the mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Place the chicken back into the crock pot, breast side down.

Do not add water!

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat!

Crockpot Refried Beans

This recipe came from Real Mom kitchen. Just about anything, well most things that you can do in a crock pot I am willing to give it a try!! The thought of getting dinner done in the morning when I am much more motivated is soooo nice!

Last night I made fajitas and decided to try these beans. There is another recipe on this site for refried beans, but this one was simpler so I decided to give it a whirl!

They were really good and sooo easy and definitely better than out of a can!

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Crockpot Refried Beans

(www.realmomkitchen.com)

• 3 cups of dry pinto beans (rinsed)
• 1 onion, diced
• 9 cups of water
• 5 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/8 tsp cumin

Put all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for about 8 hours.

After they are done, drain all the liquid out and SAVE THE LIQUID!

Mash beans with a potato masher. Add liquid, a bit at a time to desired consistency. Remember to make them a little runny because they thicken over time! (makes about 6 cups)

Flat Apple Pie

This is another wonderful Pioneer Woman recipe. She says her family likes this because you can grab it on the go! It has more crust than a normal apple pie and next time I think I would add more apples and less filling. I used my canned apple pie filling and it was super good! We also just used the basic pie crust recipe from the betty crocker cook book! It was easy--you didn't even have to form it in a pie plate!

Flat Apple Pie

(from the Pioneer Woman cook book)

• 5 peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
• 2 tblsp flour
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 recipe pie crust
• 6 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the apples, flour, lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt. Set aside.

Roll out 2 pie crusts into large circles. Place the circles on large baking sheets. (She made 2 pies, we made one pie with 2 crusts) Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust.

Fold over the edge of each crust so that it covers 2-3 inches of the apple mixture. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of butter. (we didn't do this)

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the filling is golden and bubbly. If the crust appears to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time. Allow to cool slightly and then cut into wedges!

"Cake" Ice-Cream Cones

I found this recipe on the food network, from Paula Deen.

They are super fun and turned out great for Ben and Kaitey's birthday in Preschool.

I used the Perfect Cupcake Frosting for the cupcakes and it was soooo yummy!

"Cake" Ice-Cream Cones

(Paula Deen)

• 1 box favorite cake mix
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 eggs
• 3 tblsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 24 flat bottomed ice cream cones

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine cake mix and 1/2 cup cold water. Beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs, water, vanilla and oil. Mix well. Place ice cream cones in muffin tins or on cookie sheet and fill each 1/2 full with batter. Bake 15 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch. Frost and decorate when cooled.