Taco Pizza

Our pizza lover {aka. Katelyn} has deemed Friday nights as pizza and movie night! This really is a fun family thing to do together but I don't know how long I can eat a pepperoni pizza each week! So, I've tried pull-apart pizza's {which we love}, homemade pizza's {sometimes that's just too much work}, take-out {that adds up!} and pizza rolls are on my list too but I have been keeping my eye out for some other ideas, too. When I found this Taco Pizza recipe via Pinterest I knew I had to try it. But little did I know that it would be a favorite!! Seriously, Steve said it was 'really good' {and that's sayin' somethin'} AND HE ATE THE 3 PIECES THAT WERE LEFT OVERS!! He. Never. Eats. Leftovers.

I'll let that speak for itself! Thanks Holly for introducing our family to our newest favorite recipe!!

Taco Pizza

1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated Pillsbury pizza dough
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used colby and monterey jack cheese)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped

Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to package directions.
Unroll pizza dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I used a 10×15 inch cookie sheet). Let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Press dough over the bottom and up along all 4 sides the of cookie sheet. Bake pizza dough for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven.
Place refried beans into a microwavable-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir well and then spread beans evenly over the top of the warm pizza crust. Top with the cooked ground beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese and then add the tomatoes, black olives and green onion.
Return to oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. {if it lasts that log!}

Grinch Kabobs

I have been loving preparing after-school lunches for my kids lately. I think that the time right after school until dinner is done is [one of] the most important times to be available for your kids. I LOVE their hugs as soon as they get home and the kids tell me about their school day. I love to make those fun snacks I find on Pinterest for their after school snack. The kids love it when I make something a little special! I will be making this one at Christmas-time for sure!

(To be honest, I found this on Facebook and don't know who to give the credit to...sorry.)

Grinch Kabobs

Stack a mini marshmallow, strawberry, banana slice and green grape on a toothpick for a fun and festive snack!!

Zucchini Bread

I actually made muffins using this recipe for breakfast the other day and it was a hit. The kids loved it!

Zucchini Bread

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups zucchini, grated (about 1 med zucchini)

3 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup  pecan nuts, chopped

Combine sugars, oil and eggs until well blended. Add zucchini and vanilla. In separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Mix with wet ingredients. Add nuts. Grease and lightly flour 3 small loaf pans. Pour into loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Makes 3 small loaves. 

*For muffins, I baked them at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. 

Makes 24 muffins. 

Homemade Laundry Soap

I thought I'd give homemade laundry soap a try. I have always used Tide and some yummy smelling fabric softener or dryer sheet. I appreciate perfectly clean - non-stained - clothes & perfectly white whites 100% of the time. I have to admit though that my standards have dropped. Either, Tide wasn't doing its job or my kids are crazy dirty... And I truly think it's the first! I don't call myself a laundry pro but I certainly appreciate laundry done right. Since laundry detergent is super expensive I thought I'd give this recipe a try and I must say that I think that it does exactly what Tide did or better. And by that I mean it gets 99% of everything out at a small fraction of the cost. Here's what I do and the glorious thing is that it's pretty flexible, so feel free to adjust to your desire (just keep the Felsnaptha, washing soda and borax):

Homemade Laundry Detergent 

1 shredded bar of Felsnaptha (I grate it and then run it through the blender to make it super fine)

2 cups Borax

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

1 cup Oxi Clean

*I've also added salt, a shredded bar of Dial soap, commercial powder detergent and/or Gain unstopables... This is the part that you can customize!!

I was told to use 1-3 Tablespoons per load for a regular washer...1 for small loads, 2 for regular & 3 for large or really dirty loads. I have an HE machine and a water softener so I use about half that. 

My only complaint is that it is scent-less (if that's a word!) So, I just make sure I use fabric softener or a dryer sheet. I liked the Gain Unstopables but they are super expensive and it wasn't worth it!

*This has ALWAYS taken out fresh/new stains!!

*I usually double this recipe... it costs about $4.50/recipe and it lasts about 5 months. 

*It is super easy to make...once I shred & blend the Felsnaptha all I do is scoop and mix. Easy, peasy!

*It works with a regular washing machine and an HE machine (I put it directly with the clothes just to prevent any clogs in the machine. I have never heard of it happening and I don't think it will happen but I don't want to risk anything!)

Vanilla Pudding sauce for Pancakes

Vanilla Pudding Sauce

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg thoroughly, and gradually stir in. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil. (Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat; if it gets hot too fast, the egg will cook. And scrambled eggs in vanilla sauce would be bad. Really, really bad.) Boil for at least 1 minute, still stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm or chilled.

I made this last month and everyone who ate it loved it!! (I have a few people in my family that are stuck on maple syrup... :) ) I found it on Creations By Kara via Pinterest. This will definitely be in our breakfast for dinner rotation. 

http://www.creationsbykara.com/2011/03/vanilla-pudding-sauce.html

Rachael's Pumpkin Cookies

Rachael's Pumpkin Cookies

from Favorites

3 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Add flour and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Favorite Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

from Favorites

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 (11 1/2 oz) package milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter, margarine and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add salt, soda, powder and flour and mix just until combined. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Roll into balls with a cookie scoop and bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.