Biz's Chicken

My trainer at Target made this chicken the other day and it was to die for.




 4 Chicken Breasts
1 Can Beer (yes beer- cook it on high and the alcohol will cook out right?)
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 bottle pepperchinnis

Add all ingredients together in a crock pot. Cook 4-8 hours. Shred Chicken. Serve on a sandwich with provolone cheese. Add any other fixins to your liking. Pics to come.

Easter Cake Pops

These cake pops are so cute!

Easter Cake Pops


by: Stacy Croninger- lifestacycstyle.blogspot.com



Ingredients:

1 box Carrot cake mix, follow directions to make a 13x9 cake

1 16oz can Cream Cheese frosting

Black, pink edible ink pens

Pastel flower sprinkles

Pastel circle sprinkles

Pink heart sprinkles

Pastel candy corn

Yellow chocolate candy melts

White chocolate candy melts

Lollipop sticks

Styrofoam blocks

Toothpicks



Instructions:

1. Bake cake and cool completely; crumble into large bowl.

2. Add frosting to cake (add about 3/4 can of frosting to start, add more if needed); use a spoon or hands to combine.

3. Form into small balls (about size of quarter) - should make 45-50 balls; place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

4. Melt chocolate in microwave according to directions.

5. Dip lollipop stick in chocolate; insert in cake ball (about 1/2 way).

6. Place in freezer to set.



Decorating Chicks

1. Once cake balls are firm, carefully dip in melted yellow chocolate until covered. Remove from chocolate and lightly tap to remove excess. Note: To tap off chocolate, place stick in left hand and gently tap stick with right hand. Rotate stick occasionally to create a smooth chocolate surface.

2. Insert in foam block to dry.

3. Once chocolate is dry, draw eyes using edible ink pen.

4. Attach 1/3 orange flower sprinkle using toothpick dipped in melted chocolate for beak.

5. Attach two orange flower sprinkles for feet.



Decorating Bunnies

1. Once cake balls are firm, carefully dip in melted white chocolate until covered. Remove from chocolate and lightly tap to remove excess.

2. Insert in foam block to dry.

3. Once chocolate is dry, attach candy corn using toothpick dipped in melted chocolate for ears. Note: Cut off candy corn's pointed tip first to create a flat surface to adhere to cake pop.

4. Attach pink heart sprinkle upside down for nose.

5. Attach two white circle sprinkles for eyes.

6. Use black edible ink pen to draw eyes.

7. Use pink edible ink pen to draw mouth.



Cake Pops were started by Bakerella Her chick and bunny designs were my inspiration for these cake pops. See her web site for additional designs.

1st Birthday Cake

  I really want to make Londyn my Moms Chocolate Cake- because it is the best!! But would Chocolate put her into sugar shock? I found these baby friendly cakes that I am thinking look more like a baby would like. Which one looks better?

Pumpkin Apple Harvest Cake


By Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen



INGREDIENTS



1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup organic sugar

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped apple

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Whipped cream or confectioners’ sugar for topping (optional)



1. Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by greasing and flouring it.

2. Combine pumpkin, eggs, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, and salt, stirring to combine. Add apples and nuts, stirring again. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Cool the cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove pan, and cool cake completely.

5. When ready to serve, turn cake on to a pretty plate and top with whipped cream or confectioners’ sugar, if desired, or serve plain.



ps. If you make the cake, smooth it out when you put it in the pan as pumkin makes it bake in whatever shape it goes in there with. Guests loved the cake, BabyG did...I frosted it by whipping heavy cream with a little sugar and cream cheese.


BANANA CAKE




2/3 c. banana, mashed

1/2 c. butter, softened

3 lg. eggs

3/4 c. water

2 c. unbleached flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

Optional: 1 c. chopped walnuts OR 1/2 c. chopped walnuts & 1/2 c. raisins



Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat together mashed banana and soft butter until creamy. Beat in water. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until very foamy. Beat into mixture. Blend in flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Stir in walnuts or walnuts and raisins, if desired. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool. Serves 8-10.

Shamrock Pizza Squares- St. Pattys Day

Ingredients


1 (13.8-oz.) can Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust

4 ounces (4 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Italian seasonings

3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 large green bell pepper

Directions

1Preheat oven according to package directions and press the pizza crust into a large cookie sheet (12X18 inches) that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Prebake the pizza crust for about 5 minutes then remove pizza from oven.2While pizza is prebaking, in a small pot add pizza sauce and cream cheese and cook over medium heat. Once cream cheese is melted and incorporated with pizza sauce add the garlic and Italian seasonings.3Slice green bell pepper horizontally to make 6 thin "shamrock" shapes.4Spread pizza sauce mixture evenly over pie crust and top with mozzarella cheese. Finish off the pizza by placing the 6 slices of green bell pepper evenly spaced on top of the mozzarella.5Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is a golden brown. Slice into 6 squares with each square containing a shamrock

What is the yummiest thing you have ever cannned....

CUPCAKES!

Kelly came up with the cutest idea, I love nap time. It gives me time to steal other peoples well thought out ideas and make it appear that I am crafty and I have it all together.

I plan to make these one day, and maybe I will share if I don't eat them all by myself!

Babyfood

I love making homemade babyfood. I have made so many different things lately for Londyn to try.

Fruit-

I like mixing fruit with oatmeal in the am. I made purees apples, pears and peaches and smoothie cubes.

Apples-
Bottled apples. Strain. Add 1 Tbsp cinnamon for 1 bottle apples. Puree and pour in baby food jars. Freeze until ready to use.

Peaches and Pears-

Puree and freeze! Super easy.

Smoothie Cubies-

Whatever you have fresh- mix together. Pour in ice cube trays and freeze.
I have made orange, pineapple, strawberry. Mixed with the mixed grain cereal it smells like toast with strawberry jam!
Today I had a bunch of bananas going bad. I mixed them with frozen strawberries and pineapple. I also added a little yogurt and some OJ.

For Lunch and Dinner we do vegetables and meats. We have found we can ground up almost anything for L. The other night we made spagetti with the healthiest ingredients and ground it up. She LOVED it!! We made extra and froze them for later.

Peas and Carrots-

Carrots are easy just steam and puree. Add some pear juice to make less solid.

Peas are supposed to be de-shelled! Takes forever if you buy fresh and only made 3 jars! I would buy frozen next time!

Beef Stew-
Ingredients


1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup hot water

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 celery ribs, sliced

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 carrot, sliced

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

salt to taste

Directions

1.In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown stew met; drain. Meanwhile, dissolve bouillon cubes in water; add to beef. Add onion, pepper and bay leaf. Cover; simmer 1-1/4 hours or until tender. Add potatoes, celery, cabbage and carrot. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomato sauce and salt. Simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes more. Remove bay leaf before serving.

(Nat's Notes: I used s packets of McCormicks beef stew seasoning (instead of the bouillon cubes and bay leaf) and used 2 lbs beef. I added a lg. can of diced tomaotes. I cooked this in my electric pressure cooker and cooked it for 30-40 minutes. Very good flavor) 

Julies Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
This soup recipe is yummy for you and your baby! Makes a ton! Jar and Freeze. You can mix this with extra carrots or peas to add nutrition to the yummy flavor.

I made the tortilla soup recipe below and fed it to Londyn. She loved it!

I made labels on the computer from mailing labels and put the baby food jars in cans in my freezer. After removing from the freezer store in the fridge. We try to feed them to Londyn within 3 days.

Vita- Mix Recipes

For Christmas a few yrs ago I got a wonderful invention called a VitaMix. It is a superpower blender that is amazing. I have loved making babyfood in it recently. I talked to the demo guy at Costco and he sent me all his best sampling recipes. I know most of you probably don't yet own one :o) But I thought I would share because chances are you can make the food in your blender you just might have to do a little more prep work :o)

 Here are some of my tips and

recipes to help get you started mixing your way to better health ! If you

would like additional recipes go to www.consciouswellnessnow.com

click Wellness Tips and Recipes.




TERI'S QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR VITAMIX



Tips on Juices



Start with 1 cup grapes (preferably seeded grapes) on bottom this gives the

juice a liquid base. With veggies I use water or tea.

Add your other favorite fruit(s) and vegetables (i.e. carrots, red cabbage,

spinach)

Softer fruits on bottom, ice and/or frozen fruit on top

Run the VM long enough on High to break it down to cellular level ! at least

1.5 to 2 minutes





Teri's Weight Loss and Cholesterol Fighting Carrot Juice



1 cup grapes (preferably seeded)

1 whole orange (remove outer peel but keep white pith on)

3 carrots (big)

1/2 slice pineapple (including center core)

2 whole strawberries (tops on)

1 tblsp. honey

1 tblsp. flaxseed

1 cup ice

Run VM on High at least 2 minutes (carrots have lots of fiber)



Basic Raw Vegetable Soup



1 liter hot water

1 whole carrot (big)

1 celery

1 green onion

1-2 roma tomatoes

1 handful cabbage

1 piece fresh garlic off of clove

1 tblsp. seasoning salt (with NO monosodium glutamate a.k.a. "msg")



For Tortilla Soup add:



1/4 slice of avacado

1/2 tblsp. Blend It Up spice mix

1 "chunk" pepperjack cheese

1 slice fresh ginger root

Lemon juice squeeze (fresh lemon)

1 slice fresh jalapeno (if you like it hot)

Run VM on High for at least 2 minutes for broth (breaks vegetables down to

cellular level and heats the soup - look for rolling steam coming out of

hole in lid). Then switch to variable speed 1 (slow stir) and add any

leftovers and/or texture ingredients (i.e. corn, black beans, cooked rice,

tortilla chips). Enjoy !
(Nat's Recipe- Broil a Red pepper in your oven, turn until the skin is all black, use a paper towel to peel the skin. Add 1 can corn (drained), 1 can black beans(drained), cooked chicken strips and chopped roasted red pepper. Serve with avacado slices, sour creams and tortilla strips or chips. YUM! Good for babyfood. )



For Thai-peanut Soup:



1. make peanut butter (2-3 cups honey roasted peanuts in main container on

high using tamper stick to push peanuts into blade until desired texture -

make sure your container is dry inside before you start)

2. remove peanut butter with spatula (leaving behind some)

3. add 2 cups hot water and 1 can coconut milk

4. follow basic raw vegetable soup recipe above, adding slice of ginger

root, tablespoon of honey and tablespoon of soy sauce while machine on high,

adding can of waterchestnuts and some chicken meat (already cooked) after

you have turned machine down to variable speed 1. Try some bean sprouts

and/or bamboo shoots too if you like. Be creative !



Ice Cream (healthy)



1 cup thawed frozen fruit juice concentrate (i.e. Welch's or other 100 %

juice)

3 baby carrots

1 small handful cabbage (purple)

1 tblsp. protein powder or nonfat dry powdered milk

1-2 cups frozen fruit, 1-2 cups ice (3 cups frozen fruit and/or ice total)

Run VM on High 45 - 60 seconds (or until you see 4 "columns" inside

container)



REMEMBER: your VM has a thermal safety shutoff, so IF you smell a hot smell

and your machine shuts off, you have NOT burned out your motor. Turn it off

and wait at least 15 minutes for the thermal safety shutoff to reset, then

resume use.



Using your VM will be as healthy as the ingredients you put into it (and

hence your body). I recommend using all organic, non-genetically modified

ingredients, and of course make sure to wash / rinse well your fruits and

vegetables beforehand.



I hope you enjoy creating a healthier lifestyle with your VM. I do have

information separate from Vita-Mix through my Wellness Practice which may be

of interest to you. If you are interested in my Wellness Book Vibrant

Living and Well Being please email me. Please feel free to visit my

website at www.consciouswellnessnow.com

for more free recipes (including the Green Smoothie we made at the booth) and tips on

maintaining a healthy lifestyle.



Yours in good health,

Teri and Randy