Cowgirls and Cupcakes

Annabelle's Italian Delight

2010-04-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorites that my Grandma Margie fixes whenever we come for a visit. This recipe came from my Grandma's best friend (who we consider family) and neighbor Annabelle. My Grandma and Annabelle were quite a pair. They always kind of reminded me of Lucy and Ethel. Lots of laughing and giggling and funny business. Annabelle was a great cook and baker. She and her husband were also the owners of the original Napa City Bakery in Napa, CA. I always loved going over to their house because my Grandma would sit and drink coffee at their 50's style kitchen table and they would give me "coffee" (or a rather doctored up version) in an actual coffee cup, and I would get to indulge in all of their yummy treats and listen to the incessant laughter. Sadly, Annabelle passed away years ago and we all miss her very much, especially my Grandma. I feel very lucky to have some of her recipes and all the great memories we have had together as family.

Annabelle's Italian Delight

1lb. of ground beef

1 large green pepper (cut into small pieces)

1 large clove garlic (minced)

1/2 cup oil (it calls for vegetable oil, but I am a fan of the olive oil, so that is what I use)

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 can tomato soup

1 can corn (cream style)

1 small can of mushrooms + liquid

1 large onion

1 dash Tabasco

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 lb. of spaghetti or vermicelli

Brown the hamburger and drain. Cook spaghetti or vermicelli per package directions and drain. In a 9 X 13-inch baking pan combine all ingredients including hamburger and noodles. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes - 1 hour. My Grandma always uncovers hers for about 10 - 15 minutes at the end. It makes some of the top noodles a little crunchy.

Double Chocolate Pudding

2010-04-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter! I have been busy scouring my old family recipes for a good chocolate pudding recipe to post and have come up empty-handed. I love chocolate pudding, who doesn't? I just hate making it from the little preservative and artificial color filled box that starts with a "J-E-L." So I was mentioning this to our fellow cowgirl writer Kim today, and as usual, she is the "knower of all things that taste good" and she recommended Barefoot Contessa's Double Chocolate Pudding recipe. Yes, this is exactly what I had in mind! No little box, a little more time in the kitchen, and pure chocolatey goodness on your spoon. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Pudding

6 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons very good cocoa powder (I am big fan of Hershey's, just sayin')
Pinch salt
2 cups milk (Whole makes it super-duper rich, if you like it that way...I do)
1-ounce very good semisweet chocolate, chopped (I likeTollhouse)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and thick in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed. On low speed, add the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan and, with the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the chocolate mixture. Combine well, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until thickened. If the mixture begins to curdle, remove it from the heat and beat it vigorously with a wire whisk. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and heavy cream, and mix until the chocolate and butter are melted.
Pour into serving bowls. Place plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding, and chill thoroughly.

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans

2010-01-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

Hope y'all had a nice three day weekend. As many of you know, I recently acquired my great-grandmother's recipe box. It has been so much fun going through all the cool recipes for "pickled this-and-that" and "ice box cookies." I have been trying to scan each recipe into my computer so that I can put together a cookbook for our next family reunion. This baby is loaded with recipes, so I know it's going to take me awhile.

Found this little gem this morning as I was perusing the box. It's in my great-grandmother's handwriting, and as you can see on the top of the recipe card she has marked it as "good." So it must have been one that she liked. Always a good sign.

So try it out and let me know what you think.

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans

3 Strips of bacon (fried and crumbled)

1 small onion sliced (use whatever type you have: white, yellow or red)

2 teaspoons of corn starch
1/4teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1 lb. can of green beans (fresh is always better, but you need to substitute the bean liquid for water when it gets to that point)

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 hard cooked egg sliced (hard-boiled)

Fry up the bacon.

Take one tablespoon of drippings from bacon. Add onion and fry to light brown.

Stir in cornstarch, salt and dry mustard.

Drain beans and reserve 1/2 cup of liquid. Stir (liquid) into mixture in frying pan. Cook and stir until it boils.

Blend in brown sugar and vinegar.

Add beans and heat thoroughly.

Put into serving dish and garnish with egg and crumbled bacon

Suddenly Sangria Time

2010-01-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

I thought I had already posted this recipe but realized it was saved as a draft instead.

My good friend Tracy sent me this recipe, and it is a winner! We need a little sunshine right now with all these dreary days that we have been having in Sacramento. Sangria reminds me of sunshine, summertime and having fun. So make yourselves a pitcher and enjoy the feeling!

Suddenly Sangria Time

1 bottle of red wine (whatever you have sitting around in the kitchen or buy a special bottle of your fav)

1 lemon cut into wedges

1 orange cut into wedges

2 tbsp. sugar

1 shot brandy

2 cups of ginger ale or club soda

Pour wine into pitcher and squeeze juice from lemon and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges. Add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale just before serving. Yum!

Southwest Sweet Potatoes

2010-01-11T20:51:00.000-08:00

O.k., I had to make up for the last sinfully delicious post. Got this great little recipe off of Shine on Yahoo. Sweet potatoes are a great "superfood" mixed in with olive oil and tomatoes and black beans. Dr. Oz would be a proud man! Try this and tell me what you think. I think it needs more sour cream.

Southwest Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes

1-15 oz. can of black beans, drained

1 medium tomato, diced

2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of sour cream (you could even use vegan or soy sour cream)

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro (a constant staple at our house)

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on high until tender all the way to center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour) They come out better when you bake them. Trust me on this.

Meanwhile, combine beans, tomato, oil, cumin, coriander and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high until just heated through, 2 to three minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)

When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

2010-01-03T22:09:00.000-08:00

This is just wrong on so many levels! I really wish my mom wouldn't have emailed this recipe to me, especially after New Years when I am supposed to be watching what I'm eating. But it's here, and now I must...make...cake! Wouldn't you if it only took five minutes? Who can resist anything that comes in a cool looking mug, you can use your microwave to make it, and is chocolate to boot. Hope you and your cow rustlers had a great holiday! Gotta go pop mine in the microwave!

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tablespoons of flour

4 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons of milk (I think that soy milk would be totally acceptable)

3 tablespoons of oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (microwave safe)

Add ingredients to mug and mix well

Add the egg and mix thoroughly

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well

Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for three minutes on high. (I put a plate underneath mine just in case.)

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little and tip out onto plate if desired. (I think it would be way more fun to eat out of the mug with a hug dollop of vanilla ice cream, but that's just me)

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year From Cowgirls and Cupcakes!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2009-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

With Fall upon us, I love busting out my crock pot. It just feels like the season of comfort food and the crock pot is a great way to make those hearty dishes without too much effort. Dump the ingredients, turn it on and walk away.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 - three to four pound boneless pork roast

1 - white onion

garlic powder (I never measure this, just sprinkle it on until the whole roast is covered well)

water

20 oz. or so of the best barbeque sauce you can find. (I use Sweet Baby Ray's - Honey Barbeque)

large hamburger buns or rolls

Place the pork roast into the crock pot. Cover entire roast with garlic powder (however much you prefer). Cut up onion and place in crock pot. Next, pour water over the entire roast, just enough to cover it. Put the lid on and turn the crock pot on low. Cook for eight hours. Yes, EIGHT HOURS! So be sure to start early! After eight hours remove the crock and dump all the water out. I use a colander to do this so I don't lose any of the onioney goodness. Place the onions and the roast back into the crock pot. Cover the roast with barbeque sauce. You can use a little or a lot depending on how you like your pulled pork. Place the lid back on the crock pot and let it cook for another hour on low. When it's done, grab a bun and serve it up sandwich style!

A Little Bit of Editing and a Touch of Martha

2009-09-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Cowgirls (and Cowboys),

O.k., so back to my previous post of Great Grandma's recipe box. I stand corrected, that recipe was actually written by my Great Grandpa, not my Great Grandma. I guess I should have figured that by the printing, but it didn't dawn on me until I placed an informative phone call to my Grandma. His writing is distinct, and i am sure that we will get to see more recipes written in his hand in the future.

So on to today's post.....

My youngest daughter has been suffering from a miserable virus for the past few days and won't let her mama out of her site. I have been expected to couch surf right along with her. Today while she was sleeping on my lap, I got the rare opportunity to change the channel from SpongeBob to catch the Martha Stewart Show. The menu said it was called Martha Stewart Good. The whole show had a specific theme, and the one I was watching was all about cookies. I should never underestimate the power of Martha, she made about five or six different cookies during the show and I am feeling as if I might have missed out by not buying Martha Stewart's Cookie Book. The recipes were awesome and I didn't have access to pen and paper (hence sleeping, drooling, feverish child on lap) so I had to go to her website to check out some of the cookies she mentioned. This is the one that I am currently obsessed with and am really jonesing for as I write:

Alexis's Chocolate Chip Cookies - Super chewy and crispy all at the same time!!!!
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (I think salted would be better, personally)

3 cups packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugars, and beat until combined and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended.
Add flour mixture, and beat on low speed until combined. Add the chocolate chips, and beat until combined.
Drop 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter at a time onto baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes (the show said 12 - 15 minutes so just keep your eye on them), rotating halfway through. Remove the cookies and the parchment paper from the baking sheets, and let cool on a rack.

Let me know how they turn out!

Cranberry Salad

2009-09-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

I come from a long line of great cooks and bakers. The best of the best! Every family reunion is just chuck full of good dishes and desserts that would satisfy even the pickiest of sorts.

I just recently came into temporary possession of my Great Grandma's recipe box. I was so excited to get ahold of this wooden pea green wonder and delve into all of my Grandma's good cooking. Let me tell you, this thing is stuffed to the gills! I will only share the recipes that have been handwritten by her. I will keep it just as she has written it and try to define anything that is unclear. This is the first recipe that I found in Great Grandma's recipe box and one that reminds me of Fall. I remember eating this on several occasions, and it was delish....

Cranberry Salad

1 - 1lb. can whole cranberry sauce (save 3/4 cup of liquid)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 - 3oz. pkg strawberry jello

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 apple diced

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Heat cranberry sauce: mix liquid, boiling water, and Jello, stirring until completely dissolved. Add lemon juice and salt. Chill mixture until slightly thickened, add mayonnaise. Beat with rotary beater (hand held egg beater) until fluffy. Fold in reserved cranberries, apple and nuts. Stir and chill until slightly thickened and pour in mold. Makes six servings.

Heart of A Cowgirl

2009-07-20T22:53:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to say how much I love this blog, Heart of A Cowgirl. Thought you might enjoy it too!

Whole Foods Is Fab-U-Lous!!!!!

2009-07-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Ahh, Whole Foods Market. What can I say about Whole Foods Market except that it is the best place since sliced bread! I walked into Whole Foods to pick up a couple of necessary Scout items. We always purchase her Tofutti ice cream, her Van's egg and dairy-free waffles and her vanilla soy pudding but as I was perusing the aisles, I found a few items that I really couldn't live without all residing in the baking aisle. The first one was the 365 Everyday brand Oatmeal Cookie Mix. This mix has no egg, no dairy and is clearly marked that they make good practice on any cross-contamination issues of allergens. Nice. The second thing that I found was 365 Everyday brand Corn and Muffin Mix. Again, no dairy, no eggs and safe for Scout. So normally, I try to avoid package foods. No, I am not a health nut psycho. I just don't think it's that good to always be munching on something out of a box, but sometimes that just has to go out the window when you need something quick and easy.

So the Oatmeal Cookie Mix, here's how easy: Dump the mix in mixing bowl. Add 8tbsp. of dairy free margarine (you know that I always use Nucoa) and about three tablespoons of applesauce instead of eggs that it calls for. Pop them in the oven for however long the box tells you (or longer because my oven is lame) and these cookies came out great. I know that you will really enjoy them.

So the Corn and Muffin Mix gives you two options, you can either make corn muffins or cornbread. I opted for the muffins because kids can handle them easier and they look like cupcakes which always peaks their attention. Again, super easy, dump mix into mixing bowl. I don't have the box with me because I discarded it a bit to premature, but follow the box mix. When it tells you to add an egg substitute it for 3 tbsps. of applesauce and substitute the whole milk with soy. Scout loved them. Peanut didn't like them. I couldn't try them because they contained soy so see what you think and let us know.

I also purchased a 365 Everyday Pound Cake Mix. This mix has no egg or dairy, but this one I haven't experimented with yet, because it calls for eight eggs. I don't want to use all applesauce because I don't want it to taste like a giant apple so maybe even tofu this time. Something to keep its consistency going.

I also have to tell you what great customer service I had at Whole Foods. I not only had to pick a few items for the Scout, but I was also in some desperate need, and I mean desperate, because I drink it every morning faithfully, was some Oregon Chai Tea Original. I love this stuff. Unfortunately, I think I have drained the surplus at both of the major supermarkets close to our house, so I went in search. Whole Foods was also out saying the manufacture didn't have it in stock. They had the vanilla and the de-caf and the pre-mix which I don't really like, but totally out of the Original. I did spot one called "Vegan" and flipped the box over so I could see the ingredients. It has the exact same ingredients as the Original minus the honey. Well, I guess I could add my own honey and they have a ton of them, so I put it in my basket. I asked the nice guy that worked there when they expected to get more of the Original in and he said that it would probably be a couple of days but that he would be glad to order me some. I love stores with great customer service. Even better then that, he said they have what's called the "Try It" program where if your normal brand is out of stock and you want to try a different brand before you commit to it, the store will let you try it for free. I was able to take home a carton of the Vegan Chai Tea absolutely free so I could try it out to see if I liked it. This is why I love Whole Foods!

We Are Back!

2009-06-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Whew! How have you guys been? It has been a while. Kim and I have been busy being mommies and have not had very much time lately to devote to our beloved blog. Luckily, school is out for summer vacation and I have been cooking it up with a few new recipes that I think that you are going to like. I also procured my great-grandmothers recipe box over the summer! I am so excited to share all of the fantastic recipes that I found. So thank you all for sticking with us while we have been away. We appreciate all of your emails and hope to get the ball rolling again here with our blog. Keep writing in with your recipes and questions. We love to here from you!

Velveeta Cheese Quick Pasta Dinner - Originally obtained out of Kraft Food & Family Magazine and modified by me (Deb) to make it taste better!

1 pkg. of Velveeta Shells and Cheese Dinner (12 oz.)

2 Tbsp. Italian dressing

1 cup of broccoli florets

1 cup of red pepper

1 cup of yellow pepper

1 cup of frozen baby peas

1 handful of chopped fresh basil - the recipe calls for dried, but the fresh makes it taste better

3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta as directed on box.

Heat dressing in a skillet on medium heat. Add broccoli and peppers; cook and stir approximately 5 minutes or until done. Stir in peas; cook until heated through. Add pasta mix and basil to the veggies and mix. Top with the Parmesan! Super quick and really great dinner in a dish.

Lavender Ice Cream

2009-01-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

Prentiss sent us this wonderful Lavender ice cream recipe. She made this wonderful ice-cream for a bridal luncheon that she hosted and said that it was a huge hit. The shower was garden themed and she made a rosemary-rubbed pork tenderloin, green beans, and butternut squash soup. Her mother also made a lavender pound cake. Yum! I wish I was there! I thought that this was a great recipe as we start to anticipate Spring coming on. My lavender doesn't look so hot right now, but I know it will be great in a few months. I really want to try this recipe so I think I might have to buy some from our local Whole Foods Market and give it a whirl. Thanks Prentiss for another great recipe!!!

Lavender Ice Cream

2/3 c Half n Half

3 oz dried lavender flowers (I found mine in the Spice section of the grocery store)

2/3 c Sugar

4 Egg yolks

2/3 c Heavy whipping cream

Cold Dried Lavender flowers for garnish (optional)

In a saucepan, slowly heat half n half to approximately 200 F.
Remove from heat and add lavender. Allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Strain milk through cheesecloth while warm.
Return half n half and stir in sugar until dissolved.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks.
Add a small amount of heated half n half/sugar mixture to egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add egg yolk mixture to warm half n half mixture and stir constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat again and stir in heavy whipping cream. Chill in refrigerator until thoroughly cooled (2 hours - overnight).
Process in any ice cream machine. Freeze if necessary.
Sprinkle dried flowers when serving for garnish.

Welcome 2009!!

2009-01-01T23:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all the Cowgirls and Cowboys out there! We hope that you had a fantastic holiday season. Both Kim and I have been busy with our families and all of the holiday festivities and have not had one moment to post any great recipes. We know most of you out there understand. This time of year is pure craziness!

So this recipe was given to me by my good friend Michele. We were both talking one day after school got out about good baking ideas for the holidays and she told me about a recipe for Girl Scout Cookies. Of course I love Girl Scout Cookies and am so bummed every year when our freezer somehow strangely eats up the last box, especially those thin mints - I know all of you can relate to the freezer eating part. Anyway, she says that I can make those delicious cookies at home using super simple ingredients. I was intrigued, so I asked if she would mind sharing her recipe with all of us, and she did!!!!

You gotta try this one out. Tastes just like a thin mint and super easy to make. Please check out Michele and her husband Johnny's iron art blog at: http://www.wattiron.blogspot.com/. Johnny makes incredible pieces. I have one of their yard birds sitting out in my front yard as we speak.

Girl Scout Cookies

1 pkg. of (Borden Eagle Brand Candy Coating) or any other melting chocolate used for candy. I haven't tried my daughter's vegan chocolate chips for this, but I am sure they would work as a dairy free, vegan substitute.

2 tsp. peppermint extract - Note to self: Try to stock up on this stuff before the holiday rush. I had to go to three different stores on December 23rd in search of this.

2 pkg. Ritz crackers - Yep, I said Ritz! I love those round buttery crackers. We buy them by the palette at Costco.

Melt chocolate in microwave or pan. If done in pan, make sure to continually stir while cooking. Add peppermint extract and stir. Dip crackers into chocolate. You can use some small tongs or a skewer to do this. Cool them on wax paper.

Breakfast Sandwich

2008-12-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Kim here...It is that crazy holiday season that always has me running around crazily! Breakfast during the week is always something I struggle with. By the time I have fed the kids, gotten ready etc...I usually forget to eat breakfast. Then I wonder why I feel horrible at 10am! I thought I would share this recipe, especially since it is that go, go, go time of year. You can eat it in your car as you drive away to whatever it is that has you rushing!

Breakfast sandwiches

1 English Muffin ( I like Whole Wheat)
1 egg
1/2-1 oz. cheese
Bacon, Canadian bacon,ham, sausage (whatever you like)

1. Toast muffin
2. Take a ramekin dish (Credits to my friend Meghann for this one!) and spray it with cooking spray. Beat the one egg and add the extras you like into it. The more you add, the longer it needs to cook. Cook between 45 seconds to 1 minute. Pop it out of the ramekin and onto the English muffin and you have a to-go breakfast!

Good thing about this one is that it is pretty kid friendly, too.

Banana Bread

2008-12-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

Kim here...I can't believe it is Christmas time! Deb and I hit a local craft fair this evening and got some good inspiration on things to do at home. We got our Christmas tree up this week and I have been enjoying the smell of pine combined with the homey warmth of the wood stove. So far Bubbas hasn't pulled the tree down on himself yet by trying to yank all the ornaments off the tree so we are doing good!

Here is a recipe for Banana bread. It is my mom's. I love this stuff! I also thought it was a good one to post since many people like to give it as gifts.

Banana Bread

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbls. sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (about 2) mashed ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan
3. Combine sour cream and baking soda in a small bowl. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in eggs, bananas and sour cream mixture.
4. Stir in flour and baking powder, stir in nuts.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean and loaf is golden brown.
6. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn loaf out onto rack and cool completely.

Pumpkin Pie Bliss

2008-11-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

Hey Cowgirls, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I really wanted to post a recipe that is one of my favorite turkey day staples - delicious pumpkin pie. It's my favorite for sure! This recipe is my Grandma Margie's. She always makes three pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. They are so good when they are topped with some fresh whipped cream! So here is her crust and pie recipe. I think that you will really enjoy them. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble Gobble!

Pumpkin Pie Bliss

Pie Crust

3 cup of flour

1 1/4 cup of shortening - I am going to experiment with butter instead of shortening. I hear that the ratio is the same for butter.

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Cut the four, shortening, sugar and salt until crumbly

Beat together:

1 egg

5 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. vinegar

Add to flour mixture. Put in fridge for about an hour.Make into dough ball and roll it out onto floured surface. This makes three pie crusts.

Pie Filling

7 eggs, beaten

1 large can of pumpkin

1 1/2 cup of sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 lrg. can (12 oz.) of evaporated milk

3 1/2 cup of fresh milk

Beat together and pour into three large pie shells. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake some more. Use a knife in the center of the pie to test to see if it is done. If it comes out clean it's done. Another sure sign that the pie is done, is when the center of the pie puffs up.

Egg Nog Bliss

2008-11-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Kim here...Little late on the posting, sorry about that! Been quite busy around here! I am sure nobody can relate to that :). Anyway here is the recipe for the week. I felt like posting this one tonight because 1) I love eggnog and am so happy it is 'tis the season for it...2) I kinda felt like a drink after these last couple of crazy weeks :). So enjoy this one, I know I will right after I post!

Egg Nog Bliss

1 glass full of egg nog (My favorite brand is Land O Lakes)
1-2 jiggers or shots of Baileys depending how strong you want it

Mix it up and enjoy!

Mike and Deb's Beer Chili and Famous Cornbread

2008-11-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

So here is our recipe for this week. We have been really contained to the house this past weekend due to a bunch of sick kiddos and a sick kitty cat. My husband Mike thought that he would whip up some of his favorite beer chili. He always asks me to make my famous cornbread to accompany it! These are super good together so hope you will try them out.

Mike's Beer Chili

2lbs. hamburger

1lb. bacon

2 cans of kidney beans

2 cans of black beans

2 cans of tomato paste

1 lrg. can of crushed tomatoes

1 beer of choice (We only use Sierra Nevada in this house)

2 white onions

2 bell pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

5 cloves garlic

2 fresh tomatoes

1 tablespoon of oregano

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons of paprika

1 - 2 tablespoons of chili powder

1-2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper (If you want the kids to be able to eat it. Stick with 3/4 of a tablespoon or less. Mike used 2 tablespoons at it was a little too spicy for our little eaters)

Brown the hamburger. In a food processor (or a blender) combine fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder and cayenne pepper together until blended. Fry the bacon until nice and crisp.

Add hamburger, blended ingredients, bacon and remaining items into a large stockpot. Add enough water to give it the correct consistency. Cook and cook and cook on medium heat. It makes the house smell fantastic!

Deb's Famous Cornbread

This is a recipe I have adapted from the original recipe on the Aber's Corn Meal box. My mom always made our cornbread nice and sweet and I have to carry on the tradition here. I love it like this and I think you will too.

1 cup of Aber's yellow corn meal (or any brand of corn meal that you have handy. I just prefer Abers)

1 cup of all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup of milk

1/3 cup of extra light virgin olive oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8 inch baking pan.

Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, oil and egg in small bowl; mix well. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 20 -23 minutes. I use a wooden toothpick to see if it is done or not. When it comes out clean I know that it is ready to roll.

Taco Chili

2008-11-03T09:22:00.001-08:00

Kim here...Here is our first recipe in our new feature...Recipe of the Week! I originally got this idea while watching Paula Dean on her Food TV show. She did it with dried beans and spicy tomatoes. While I am sure that is delicious, I don't have the patience for dried beans and after my second pregnancy, my belly doesn't appreciate spicy tomatoes :). So here is my altered recipe for Taco Chili. It's a great one that I think you will enjoy.

Taco Chili

1 pound ground beef or chicken
salt/pepper to season meat while cooking
1 small onion, chopped
14.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained
14.5 oz. can pinto beans, undrained
1 (1 1/4 oz.) packet taco seasoning ( I like McCormick)
1 (1 oz) packet of buttermilk salad dressing mix (Hidden Valley)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
14 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups water
Tortilla Chips (optional for garnish)

1. Brown and crumble meat while adding seasonings and chopped onions.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and water.
3. Bring to a boil. Let simmer uncovered until you get a nice, rich, thick consistency to your chili. This may take up to 2 hours.
4. Serve with tortilla chips and/or a dollop of sour cream on top.

A Cowgirls and Cupcakes Update

2008-11-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

Hello all! We hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. We know our girls and boy did! We wanted to let all of you in on a little update here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes. We are going to begin doing a Recipe of the Week starting today. So make sure you check in every Monday for the new recipe to use!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T22:51:00.000-07:00

From our house to yours..... Happy Halloween!

~ The Cowgirls

Vegan Caramel Apples

2008-10-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

I know. I am on a caramel kick. I can't help it. It's Halloween time and it just sounds sooo good. I went looking for a great caramel apple recipe that did not include dairy. Hard to find my friends. This one sounds really excellent though. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Here is the link: Vegan Caramel Apples

Chunky Chicken Chili

2008-10-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Now I know you are thinking, yuck! What are you thinking putting chicken in chili! I know, I thought the same thing until I tried it. My mom isn't a ground beef fan and so she usually substitutes different meat for beef. Tonight, she made this for our family and I really liked it. The hubby complained because it wasn't his typical red meat fare, but I enjoyed it because it was lighter in calories and better for you...plus it was good! So give this a try and you will be surprised that chicken really can go in chili!

Congratulations to our winner as well for this month's giveaway. Thanks Deb for organizing that!

Chunky Chicken Chili

1 lb. ground chicken
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. McCormick chili packet
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, don't drain

1. Brown and crumble chicken in a deep skillet. Season with salt and pepper while cooking it. After it is cooked through (no pink left) add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil and then lower heat so it can simmer about 30 minutes. Thanks mom for the good idea! Gotta love those moms!

Microwave Caramel Corn

2008-10-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

And the winner is........... Amy!!!!!! Thank you Amy and to all of you who entered the Cowgirls and Cupcakes second big giveaway. Amy will receive a bounty of Halloween crafties plus an awesome apron made by Kim. Amy, please send us your address and we will get your prize out to you! Kim and I will be having another giveaway next month as we gear up for the big turkey day so be sure to keep reading.

I was so excited to receive this recipe from my good friend Tammy. She always has such fantastic ideas for cooking and crafts. I know that this will be a good one. And caramel corn always reminds me of Halloween!

Microwave Caramel Corn (Yippeee!)

Pop approximately 1 cup corn in brown paper grocery bag in microwave for approximately 2.5 minutes. Be sure to remove any unpopped kernels.

Then in a 2 qt. microwave safe dish put:

1/4 c. white corn syrup

1 c. brown sugar

1 stick butter or dairy-free margarine (great for dairy allergies or vegans)

1/2 tsp salt

Bring to boil in microwave on high. Boil for 2 min. then add 1/2 tsp baking soda and stir well. Pour over popped corn in bag and shake well.Return bag of corn mixture to microwave and cook on high 1 1/2 min. Shake well & turn bag over. Microwave another 1 1/2 min.Shake well again May microwave a 3rd time for 1 1/2 min. if needed. I usually do only 30-60 sec. the 3rd time. Pour on wax paper & let cool . Store in airtight container.

Baked Three Cheese Tortellini with Tomato Cream Sauce

2008-10-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Kim here...We are back from Disneyland! It was so much fun, but feels oh so good to be out of the mouse house! Both the kiddos had a blast!

We are very excited around here because Bubbas actually touched his food tonight on his own free will and put it to his mouth to eat! This is the first time that has happened in his 25 months of life! Woo hoo! Way to go Bubbas! In celebration of this huge milestone for him, here is a dish he likes quite a bit.

Baked Three Cheese Tortellini with Tomato Cream Sauce

1 (13 oz) bag Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini (dried)
1 jar marinara sauce (I like Golden Grain)
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil water for tortellini's and follow cooking times on package. Drain and set aside.
3. Bring marinara sauce to a light boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add tortellini and toss to coat.
4. Grease a 13x9 pan with butter. Pour tortellini mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and dot with 2 Tbls. butter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

***Good with adding ground beef or sausage to sauce as well.**

Gilded Pumpkins

2008-10-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

So it's our last day of Halloween crafting here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes and I wanted to send you off with a bang. Yes, it's gilded pumpkins! I opened up my Country Living magazine a month back and was in awe when I saw these. I almost hurdled the couch to run down to Michaels and buy some gold leaf. Their is a technique to this, and unfortunately, I can't say that I have tried it yet, but plan too very soon. Look at how beautiful these pumpkins came out. The article featured Carol Kemery who is a decorative painter and developed this fantastic kit along with Country Living, to make these beautiful gilded pieces. So this is not really a tutorial by me today, but I thought that if you saw these that the kit might be worth a look see.

Here is her tutorial: Gilding Pumpkins

Here is the link to her website with the kit: Beautiful Gilded Pumpkins

Here is the wonderful article about guilding in Country Living: Fall Guilding

It has been fun crafting with you this week! Let's do it again soon. Our buddy Kim will be returning from LA on Sunday and I can't wait to hear about Disneyland's decor for the Halloween season. Our recipes will be returning next week as well. Be sure to get your comment or email in to join our giveaway. The giveaway winner will be chosen on October 27th at midnight, so get those entries in.

Stamped Halloween Cards

2008-10-23T22:53:00.001-07:00

And the crafting just keeps rolling on here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes. Today I made a few Halloween cards. I love giving these out to my friends and family. These also make great little teacher gifts. I saw cards very similar to these in a store that cost $15.00. That is insane! You can make these at home for little to nothing. I bet a lot of you crafters out there already have a few items already on hand.

Here is what you need:

Black and white card stock with envelopes - I buy the pre-cut cards and envelopes in a large pack at Michaels. They have both black and white.

Any of your spooky Halloween stamps. For these I used the new clear stamps. I found them in a store for .99 cents and thought they were so cute and very vintagy looking. If you use the clear stamps like I did, you will also need an acrylic block. They sell these at any craft store. I actually picked mine up at my local Wal-Mart.

Black stamp pad and white stamp pad - Again, found mine at Michaels.

Here is what I did:

Just line up your stamps on your acrylic block and ink them up. I found that the clear stamps don't use as much ink as the rubber stamps do. Use it sparingly and do a few test runs first.

Finally, you just stamp away.

I always like to keep it simple and I think that these are sooooo easy for anyone to do. I will wrap these in a cute Halloween ribbon and add these to the giveaway stash.

Just a reminder, our Cowgirls and Cupcakes Halloween Giveaway has already started. If you would like to be entered into the giveaway, please send us a comment or an email or a great recipe and you will be entered. The giveaway winner will be chosen on October 27th at midnight.

Little Pumpkin Head

2008-10-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, it's me again. We just received our first two entries into the giveaway. Remember the giveaway ends on October 27th at midnight so get your comment or email to us to get you qualified.

So it's on to our second day of craftiness here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes. The next project was inspired by a wonderful crafty gal named Missy Balance who is founder of Mohair Circus and Glitter and Grunge. She posted her little spool dolls on her blog and etsy shop and I was intrigued. They were so cute I had to buy a little cell phone charm spool doll. It makes for an awesome conversation piece. I knew that I wanted to make some of these little dolls for the holidays to give to my family as gifts. I had this idea to make one into a pumpkin for my Mom who's birthday is at the beginning of October. I always try to get her something related to Halloween and I thought that this would be the ticket.

These little spool dolls are easy to make and the possibilities are endless. Here is how I made my little pumpkin head.

Supplies:

Vintage wooden spool or new wooden spool from the craft store. I like the small squatty ones.

Round wooden knobs that are flat on one end. I don't know the official name of these guys, but you can find them in the wood aisle at your local craft store.

Acrylic paint - orange - like a pumpkin

Sharpie marker - black

Round, small green bead for the stem

Clear matte or gloss varnish

Glue gun

About 12 inches of coordinating ribbon of your liking

A cute pin of your choice

So here is what I did:

First paint the round knob in pumpkin orange and let dry thoroughly - I think I did about two coats on this piece.

Next you are going to draw your face on the pumpkin head with a Sharpie marker. You can use pencil first if you are unsure of your art skills and need a little practice.

Next apply one coat of the varnish and let it dry thoroughly.

Then you are going to heat up that old glue gun and get ready to glue the knob onto the spool.

Then glue the little bead on top of the pumpkin head for his stem

You are almost done....

Finally, you are going to wrap your super coordinated ribbon around your spool a few times and secure with your pin.

Super cute and a great little gift for Halloween. Let me know how yours turn out!

Black Apple Dolls

2008-10-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

Here it is, our first ever crafty project at Cowgirls and Cupcakes. This calls for an applause......

A couple of weekends ago my littlest of mites was at home sick with a bad cold and my oldest was with my husband at our family cabin in Lassen. There wasn't much for the two of us to do at home except sit in front of the T.V. and hang out, so the Scout and I got my sewing machine out and some Halloween fabric scraps that I had laying around and whipped up a couple of these darling dolls from one of my favorite crafty girls, Emily Martin of The Black Apple. I had watched Martha Stewart one afternoon when they had on a tutorial with Emily and her dolls. I ran, not walked, back to my computer and promptly hit the print button to get the free download.

These dolls came out so cute and are really pretty easy to put together. I did have one "ooops moment" while I was cutting out the pattern and realized that you had to cut the legs and arms as a front and a back otherwise they won't line up when you try to face them. (A typical Deb moment as I started cutting before I started thinking.) I did fudge a bit on their faces as I didn't have any canvas available, but I did have some old muslin curtains of my mom's that worked nicely. I used a Sharpee marker for the faces which I would not recommend. They bleed into the fabric too much. Be smart and get a fabric pen. They both came out really cute (as you can see from the pic above) and the Scout had a great time helping me pick out the buttons and which color scarves they were going to wear.

So here is the link to the tutorial on Martha's wonderful website: Black Apple Doll Tutorial

You might want to check out Emily's fantastic etsy shop. I love all of her whimsical prints and paper goods that she sells. Not to mention that she is the number one seller on etsy. You go girl!

Hope you guys enjoy the pattern and send us a pic of your finished dolls so we can post them on the blog and a flickr group. And don't forget to leave us a comment or an email to be entered into our Cowgirls and Cupcakes 2nd Giveaway!!!! There might be one of these cute dollies stuck in the package for your Halloween enjoyment!

Another Cool Giveaway!

2008-10-20T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey. Deb here. It's time for another Cowgirls and Cupcakes giveaway!

Our second giveaway will work just like the first one. In case you didn't tune in for the first one, here is the deal: The giveaway will begin today and run until October 27th at midnight when a winner will be randomly chosen. You can either leave us a comment or send us a recipe via email and you will be entered into the giveaway. Only one entry per person please. This giveaway will of course have something to do with that spooky holiday that is swiftly approaching and may contain another fantastic apron of Kim's design along with several other fun holiday related items.

My best buddy Kim and her family are visiting the big mouse in L.A. this week, which means you have little ol' me left here to post. This week is going to be a little different as far as posting goes. We will be venturing out of the cooking realm this week and heading into the holiday crafting zone. With the big Halloween holiday swiftly approaching we are going to be crafting it up all week long here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes. So starting tomorrow, I will be posting a craft or a tutorial of sorts for everyone to try. You may need to get your sewing machines and glue guns geared up for this.

So stop reading and send us your comments and/or recipes to get you qualified for the giveaway. I will see you tomorrow for some crafting fun.

Slightly Lower Fat Mashed Potato Bake

2008-10-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Tonight I whipped up this dish because I didn't have all the ingredients to make the original dish I posted (see side dishes), but I think I liked this better and it had way less calories. I am off tomorrow for a week's vacation! Yeah! The fam and I are off to LA to go to Disneyland and other nefarious places :). Deb will be taking over the posting for the next week, thanks Deb! I hopefully will have some dishes that I will want to recreate and post for our blog in the coming weeks!

Slightly Lower Fat Mashed Potato Bake

1 Box Betty Crocker Herb and Butter Instant Mashed Potatoes (use both packets)
(Milk, butter, water for the potatoes...read the back of the box for measurements)

1 small brick cream cheese (not sure the exact ounces, but the one for under $2 in a brick shape)

sour cream (smallest size container)

1 cup cheddar, jack or combination of cheeses

salt and pepper

1. Follow directions on potato box. After the potatoes are cooked, add rest of ingredients (except french fried onions) and stir. Put in a 13x9 baking dish and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

2. Add french fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes.

Ratatouille - Like the Movie

2008-10-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

Bet you didn't think that this was a real dish....but it is, and I am going to share it with you. Now, if you haven't seen the movie yet, it is a definite must-see. It's one that the whole family will enjoy. This wonderful recipe was also out of my slow cooker recipe book from Southern Living. They have such great dishes. Get our your slow cooker (don't roll your eyes, I love these things) because here it is:

Ratatouille - Like the Movie

1 (1 pound) eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 medium zucchini, sliced (about 4 cups)

2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch wedges

3 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup capers

Place eggplant in a colander over a sink. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over eggplant; toss well. Let stand 30 minutes to drain. Pat dry with paper towels.

Layer half each of onion, eggplant, bell pepper strips, zucchini, and tomatoes in a 6 quart electric slow cooker. Combine remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, tomato paste, olive oil, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Spoon half of oil mixture over vegetable mixture. Repeat layering of vegetables, ending with oil mixture.

Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting six hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in chopped basil and capers. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

Fajita Chicken

2008-10-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

Kim here...The other night I made some fajitas and I experimented with some grilled chicken. It turned out great! Use it for fajitas or even just some chicken with Mexican rice, etc. Very versatile and easy to make.

Fajita Chicken

4 Chicken breasts
3 Tbls. lime juice
3 Tbls. olive oil
1 Tbls. kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper

1. Put chicken and other ingredients into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake until all is well mixed and chicken is well coated. Let marinate 30 minutes.
2. Grill chicken on charcoal grill or on stove top.

Old Fashioned Apple Butter

2008-10-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Deb here. I love this time a year for so many different reasons and one of them is that I can get out my slow cooker. I know, small things make me happy. I have this great slow cooker cookbook that I purchased from Southern Living and I love it! Here is an easy recipe that takes quite a while to cook, but yields some yummy results and is perfect for Fall time get togethers.

Old-Fashioned Apple Butter

5 Gala apples or other baking apples (about two pounds), peeled and sliced

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a 4 1/2 quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting, and cook 8 to 9 hours (yep, a super long, long time - but trust me, it's worth it) until apples are very tender. Stir with a whisk to break up any large pieces. Store apple butter in refrigerator for up to one week. I like to serve these with any delicious bread or dinner rolls.

Chicken Parmesan

2008-10-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Here is something I made up the other night that came out very well. Hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Parmesan

For Chicken:
· 4 chicken breasts
· 2 eggs
· 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
· 1 Tbls. garlic powder
· Salt/pepper
· 4 Tbls. olive oil
For Spaghetti:
· ¾ box spaghetti noodles, cooked
· 1 24oz. can crushed tomatoes
· 1 fresh tomato, chopped
· ½ onion, chopped
· Garlic powder
· 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
For Chicken:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Preheat pan with oil in it, vegetable oil works well for this dish.
3. Put eggs in a pie pan and beat. Put breadcrumbs in another pie pan and stir in seasonings.
4. Dip chicken into egg, then into breadcrumbs. Put chicken into hot oil and pan fry. Flip one time.
5. After both sides are brown, place in a 375 degree oven and bake 20 minutes. Chicken is done when juices run clear.
6. Top with a little spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. Put under the broiler for a few minutes until nice and melty.
For Spaghetti:
1. Cook noodles, set aside.
2. Sauté onion for a few minutes until soft. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add noodles and stir together.

**Put spaghetti on bottom of plate and top with a chicken breast**

Chessman's Banana Pudding

2008-10-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's Deb here. This recipe was submitted by my favorite cousin Kerri. She always brings the best pudding pies to all of our family gatherings so I know that you will enjoy her recipe. Kerri also has a resume business called Resume Renovation. If you are looking for your resume to be revamped and need some assistance please check out her website: http://ResumeRenovation.homestead.com/

Chessman's Banana Pudding

The original recipe, which I stole from my fave southern cook Paula Deen, called for Vanilla and Banana pudding, I naturally experimented with Chocolate pudding one day and now its the way I make it every time! Kids love to help with this dessert because depending on the age they can be a part of pretty much every step! Kids love the different designs on the cookies, and designing the top.

1 pkg Jello pudding - Banana flavor (prepare as package directs) and set aside in refrigerator
1 pkg Jello pudding - Chocolate flavor (prepare as package directs) and set aside in refrigerator
3 semi-ripe bananas (slice just before use, to avoid brown mushy slices)
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies ( 1 bag is usually enough but you'll need extra for breakage and/or cookie stealers!)
1 Tub Cool Whip non-dairy topping

In a glass 13x9 inch dish arrange a layer of chessmen cookies on the bottom of the dish.
Next spread chilled banana pudding over the top of the cookies spreading evenly.
Layer sliced bananas on top of the pudding
Now it's time to spread the chocolate pudding over the top of the banana slices...we're almost done!
Finally use the chessmen cookies to decorate the top. You can arrange them neatly next to each other in rows, alternating the designs, they are just the right amount of "royalty" to make this dessert stand out!

Remember to start and end with a layer of cookies, to provide a base that will stand up to serving!

Zucchini Casserole

2008-10-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kim here...My new neighbor brought over delicious delights yesterday from his garden! Homegrown tomatoes, pears, apples and zucchini! The zucchini and tomatoes looked so delicious that I wanted to make them for dinner tonight and so I came up with this recipe on the fly. It came out really good! Hope you enjoy it too.

While I was cleaning up dinner tonight, I looked out my window and saw a family of deer. Pretty cool to observe the critters while washing dishes!

Zucchini Casserole

2 medium zucchinis or 1 very large one
½ onion, chopped
1/2 tomato, chopped
1 egg
1 cup cheese (cheddar and jack is a good mix)
½ cup Parmesan, grated
Salt/pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 Tbls. butter

1. Chop zucchini and onions. Sauté onions in 2 Tbls. olive oil until soft, add zucchini and sauté until it is soft.
2. Put mixture into an 8x8 pan and add cheeses, egg, tomato and seasonings. Mix together well.
3. Top with breadcrumbs and dot with butter.
4. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Spotted Pup

2008-10-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe was submitted to us from Heidi who is a fantastic writer. I have visited her blog many times now, and am so impressed. She not only is a great writer, but she also is a journalist, editor and teacher and she has some fantastic articles on cowgirls. I have been reading them and would love it if you took a peek at them to find out some of the history behind these extraordinary women. It is so hard to find information on cowgirls throughout history, and I think Heidi was able to capture the "true cowgirl" in her wonderful articles. Thank you so much Heidi for submitting this recipe especially with the special family history behind it!

Spotted Pup

My dad told me about a dessert the cook would prepare when he and his parents were trailing their horses from Cut Bank, Montana to Salmon, Idaho, looking for grass during the “dirty thirties.” It was called “Spotted Pup,” and made with rice, condensed milk and raisins. The name comes from the resemblance to cowboys’ dogs.

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups white rice

3 quarts milk or canned milk equivalent

1 pound raisins or other dried fruit

1 tablespoon nutmeg

This was a treat, as it required no eggs, and since there was little opportunity for baked items when traveling with a Chuckwagon. The cook would mix the rice, sugar and milk in a cast-iron Dutch Oven, then hang it over the campfire to simmer for about an hour or so until it started to get thick. Then he’d stir in the nutmeg (or cinnamon) and slowly stir in the raisins, allowing the fruit to plump up and the rice to thicken further. The dessert was ready when the spoon stood upright.

Submitted by: Heidi Thomas
http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/ www.heidi@heidimthomas.com

Turkey Cheddar Burgers

2008-10-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Our neighbor down the way introduced himself to us yesterday afternoon. His name is Bud and he has lived in this area for 70 years! Let's just say he told me almost the entire history of the area yesterday :). Well, he brought us some homegrown tomatoes that are delicious! He also informed us that his cow, Babe, likes to get out now and then and instructions on how to get her home :). We are just to say, "Babe, go home", and supposedly this cow will go home. Now, I find this hard to believe since I have never seen this cow get up! Oh well, that is my country note for the day!

These are pretty tasty and thought it would be good with my homegrown tomato I just got!

Turkey Cheddar Burgers

1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
4 cheddar slices (1 oz. each)
4 Hamburger rolls
1 cup Black Pepper aoili (see recipe under condiments section)

1. Saute shallot in olive oil in a small saucepan for about 2 minutes. Put into the bowl you are going to mix the meat in.
2. Put turkey in with the shallots and add salt and pepper, mix together well.
3. Form into 8 small, thin patties. Take one of the patties put a slice of cheddar cheese on top, then cover with another small patty. Seal the edges together (this is important so the cheese stays inside while grilling). Repeat for the other 3 burgers.
4. Grill burgers on charcoal grill for about 15 minutes, flipping once.
5. Toast buns on grill for a few seconds. Spread with the aoili and put burgers on the buns.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2008-10-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys, It's Deb. Still mustering around with my yucky illness. Tomorrow we have a 9am soccer game rain or shine. The forecast says rain, but I am really hoping that Mr. Sunshine peaks his head out for at least an hour for the game. Although for the most part, I am completely ready to welcome in this Fall weather. Just wait till I get inside, will ya?

So here is a pretty easy dish to fix. I believe I found this one in one of my favorite magazines, REAL SIMPLE. They have some fantastic recipes. This dish can be made quickly and I keep most of these ingredients on hand. With holiday bashes right around the corner this dish will be sure to be the hit of the party!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1-10 oz. box frozen cut or chopped spinach, thawed

1 -12 oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped ( I use the ones that are in water, not oil)

1/2 cup of whipped cream cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

1 cup grated Cheddar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Pita chips, tortilla chips or sliced French bread

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze spinach between two paper towels to make sure all the excess moisture is out. In medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream and Cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Put into a small oven-safe baking dish. Bake until golden brown on top. About 15 minutes. Serve warm with the chips or bread.

Blueberry Banana Yogurt

2008-10-02T20:14:00.000-07:00

Kim here...I came up with this recipe when trying to find exciting pureed foods for my son to eat. He loves this stuff, not my favorite...but those of you with little ones out there this is a good one that is very healthy as well. Get the kiddos blueberries and wheat germ all in the same bowl!

My exciting country house note today is that I saw a deer eating the peaches off the tree that is planted on my back porch. Pretty cool! Also, finding that country folk like to chat (which I love). They will sit and shoot the breeze with you and tell you all sorts of interesting stories!

Blueberry Banana Yogurt

1 Brown Cow Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 cup blueberry puree (see recipe below)
1/2 banana , mashed
1 Tbls. or more wheat germ

Mix all together and serve. Can be adjusted to various solid food levels. For example, chunk banana instead of mashing.

Blueberry Puree
Take about 1/4 cup frozen blueberries and put them in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 15 seconds until unthawed. Put them in your food mill and grind away (food mill really is the way to go here folks, unless you have a ricer). You now have a blueberry puree.

Aunt Jan's Bran Muffins

2008-10-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

So I have finally caught it..... that yucky flu that has been going around. I am achey and congested and just feeling like a truck ran me over. Kim just had the creeping crud too so I know that she can commiserate with me. I will try not to cough on the computer screen, sorry folks.

I am so excited to visit Kim's new country house. Our girls can't wait to get out to the chicken coops and see the chickens and roosters. I think moving to the country is the way to go. I asked Kim the other night if it was quiet out there and she said, "Not really, now we have all those crickets and roosters that make a lot of noise," but she did say the stars were fantastic out there. How cool is that. I am so excited for their new adventure to begin out in the country. I was so inspired by their move that I thought I would share a little country style recipe with you.

This recipe comes from a very special lady that has known Kim and I since birth. She is a great family friend who Kim and I refer to as "Aunt Jan." She always had the most spotless house and the best food when we would come to visit. Kim and I have fond memories of her garlic bread with fresh parsley sprinkled on top and her backyard that was not grass, but instead, all clover. It was fascinating trying to find a four leaf clover in that place.

This recipe is so good, I am excited for you to give it a try. I can no longer do the Crisco due to my soy allergy, but am going to experiment a little with applesauce and see how they come out. Try this one and let us know what you think.

Aunt Jan's Bran Muffins

6 cups of Bran Buds

2 cups boiling water

1 tsp salt

4 cups buttermilk

5 tsp soda

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup Crisco

4 eggs well beaten

5 cups flour

Use a large bowl. Mix bran, sugar and boiling water. Let stand for one hour, then add remaining ingredients. Add raisins if desired. Bake @400 degrees for 10-12 min. The dough keeps up to two weeks in the frig -- so bake as many muffins as you wish and then bake more on another day.

P.S. Happy October 1st to y'all. We will be having our Cowgirls and Cupcakes 2nd Giveaway within the next couple of weeks so be watching for it. Our fabulous Miss Kim has whipped us up another cute apron to include. I bet you can't guess the theme?!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2008-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

Kim here...So we are all moved into our new house! We are living country style now! Instead of the daily commuting traffic waking me up, the roosters next door are :). Pretty funny change, but am loving it. Still haven't unpacked my cookbooks yet so here are some more yummy potatoes I love to make.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 bulb garlic, roasted (see recipe below)
4 baking potatoes
1 cube butter
1/4-1/2 cup milk
Salt/Pepper to taste

Roasted Garlic
(Simply preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take your garlic bulb and cup the top off. Lay it on a square piece of foil, about 6"x6". Drizzle the top of the garlic with about 1 Tbls. olive oil. Wrap it up in the foil and put it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. Unwrap foil and let cool. You then can squeeze the garlic out of the cloves without unpeeling anything.)

1. Cut potatoes into cubes and put into a pot. Fill with water and bring water to a boil. Boil for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and then put back into the warm pot. Add the rest of the ingredients to taste and mash with your potato masher.

Dairy Free Smashed Tatoes

2008-09-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey it's Deb. Wanted to continue on Kim's potato crusade with another fabulous rendition of mashed potatoes, or as my girls call them, "smashed tatoes." These are as equally easy as regular mashed potatoes, I just use a few different ingredients since the Scout is allergic to dairy. These are one of her favorites things to eat.

I do have to tell a quick funny story before we start.

I jumped on the bandwagon of hiding pureed vegetables in my youngest daughter's food because she basically will just gravitate towards fruit and starches. I grabbed some cauliflower and pureed it up and stuck it in these mashed potatoes. I thought I was being sneaky. You should have seen the Scout's face when she took a bite. She said, "Mom, these don't taste very good,"and promptly spit them out. I had to laugh. I must have added a little too much cauliflower. It does work, you just have to add in enough as to not ruin the taste of the potatoes and still get the vitamins in there.

Dairy Free Smashed Tatoes

3 large baking potatoes, peeled

1/4 cup of soy milk (this is going to vary depending on how big your potatoes are and how creamy you want to make them)

2 tablespoons of dairy-free margarine (again this is going to vary depending on the size)

dash of salt

dash of pepper

* Some secretly pureed cauliflower if you want to feel like your pulling the wool over your family's eyes. Ha Ha. About 1/4 cup of pureed cauliflower.

I have to say that my measurements are not very accurate with this. I usually boil a huge batch of potatoes (it usually takes about 25 to 30 minutes for a big batch to boil) and then pull out a small bowl for the Scout. After I have the small bowl full, I grab her soy milk and add in a splash and then a couple of tablespoons of her dairy free margarine (I use Nucoa). I add a dash of salt and pepper and whip them up really well and..... voila, dairy-free smashed tatoes. Now that you have the basic ingredients, play around with it till you find the right consistency that you and the family enjoy. I find that I experiment with cooking now a lot more especially with dishes like these where you are substituting this and that. You can even keep up Kim's tradition of cheesy dairy free smashed tatoes and add a little vegan cheese to these and vegan sour cream. Tofutti makes an excellent one!

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

2008-09-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

Kim here...To continue the theme of the mashed potatoes, here is another good one. Yummy!

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

3 baking potatoes, cubed with skins on

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup sour cream

chives, couple of snips

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

milk, optional...depends on how thick you want them

1. Put potatoes in the pot you are going to boil them in, then cover with water. Bring to a boil and let cook 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and then put them back into the hot pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and smoosh with potato masher. Add milk if they need to be thinned a bit.

**Feeding note**

See Classic Mashed Potato recipe for directions.

Chicken Chili and Cornbread Dumplings

2008-09-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

How I love Fall time for all of the fabulous soups, stews and chilis. There is nothing like a huge bowl with biscuits, bread or dumplings. I thought this recipe would be just the one to start off the Fall with. It has a little bit of a kick and that's what makes it fun and festive. This wonderful recipe was found in a Bisquick cookbook. You know the ones you find at the checkout counter of the grocery store. It has so many fantastic recipes in it. I can't wait to try more. I did modify it a bit to fit the items that were in my pantry and my freezer.

Chicken Chili with Cornbread Dumplings

Chili:
3 cups of cubed cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups of water

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (15 oz.) Great Northern Beans

1 can of corn, undrained

1/2 bag of frozen mixed color peppers (red, green and yellow - pretty)

1 can (4.5 oz.) of chopped green chiles

1 tsp. ground cumin

Dumplings:
1 1/3 cups original Bisquick mix

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp. chili powder

In 5 quart nonstick Dutch oven, heat all chili ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly *(I really didn't know what a dutch oven was until I went to my local Target and found one in the pot and pan aisle. I actually had one at home without even realizing it. Think a deep set pan that has a lid. Pretty basic.)
In medium bowl, stir all dumpling ingredients until soft dough forms.
Drop dough by 8 rounded spoonfuls onto simmering chili. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 13 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are dry. (They expand quite a bit as well, so don't be alarmed.)

Classic Mashed Potatoes

2008-09-24T20:41:00.001-07:00

Kim here...Well, fall is here, yeah! It is my favorite time of the year! Mashed potatoes definitely say fall and the beginning of the holiday season. We love mashed potatoes around here and I do them up in many different ways. Here is my classic version, will post more versions soon. I always leave the skin on my mashed potatoes which give it a yummy rustic feel, plus you get the good nutrients from the skin! Oh, don't count the calories in this one!

Classic Mashed Potatoes

3 brown potatoes (large)
1 stick of butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
salt
pepper

1. Cut potatoes into cubes (do not peel potatoes). Place in a pan for them to boil in. After you put all your cubed potatoes into the pan, fill with water until it reaches just the top of the potatoes. Set burner on high and bring to a boil. Boil for 30 minutes.

2. Drain potatoes in colander and then place back into the hot pan, this will evaporate some of the water left in the potatoes. Place the butter, milk (start small amounts first), and generous portions of salt and pepper. Mash together with your potato masher. If the consistency is too thick, thin with a little more milk adding a little at a time. Enjoy!

**Feeding and Puree Tip**
This recipe is perfect for your little ones who are still eating mashed foods. Mix it in with meatloaf, stew, chicken, steak...the list goes on and on. You may just want to take the large chunks of skin out. If you are pureeing this, use just your potato masher or food mill. Putting this in your food processor will turn your potatoes into paste. Believe me, I have done it before!. Just mash with more milk until it becomes more liquidy.

Fall Meatloaf

2008-09-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

First off, I would like to give a big shout-out to Amy of Peptogirl Industries who awarded us the Este blog investe e acredita na Proximidade Award. To translate the gift from Portuguese to English, it means: "This blog invests and believes, the proximity" (meaning, that blogging makes us 'close' -being close through proxy).

Blogging really opens up a whole other world for a lot of us. It helps keep us in touch with friends and family and helps build a whole new interest based community where we can meet new friends and network our interest and expand our knowledge and visions of what we can accomplish or want to try. It's nice to find other sites out there that have the same vision as us. We are supposed to pass this award on to eight other blogs that are deserving of this award.

Here are the eight that I thought definitely deserved it:

http://shmooedfood.blogspot.com/

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

http://ellierichellie.blogspot.com/

http://www.allthingscupcake.com/

http://foodallergyqueen.blogspot.com/

http://www.nut-freemom.blogspot.com/

http://cupcaketastic.blogspot.com/

Thank you Amy for the award. We really appreciate the recognition!

With all of the pumpkins and costumes out at Target, the local apple orchards open for business and my first grader keeping me updated on a daily basis of when the first day of Fall was going to be, I am happy to announce that it is officially here! This is my favorite time of year. I don't know if it is the colors, the cold weather or all of the good homemade soups and apple desserts that I consume that make me love Fall, but it's here and I am happy. I thought we could post a few of our favorite Fall recipes. We know that you have them tucked away in your recipe boxes just waiting for the season to arrive. So let's pull them out and start sharing.

Fall Meatloaf

I am a big fan of moist meatloaf. Most traditional meatloaves have oatmeal in them that really dry them out. My Mom has always referred to these as "dog food." She claims they are just too dry, and I have to agree. I like my meatloaf moist with lots of ketchup and potato. This is another version that I fix for my family. I love using Stove Top Stuffing. It really helps keep the moisture along with the delicious barbeque sauce. I hope you and your family enjoy it. I like to serve mine with a huge baked potato and broccoli.

2 eggs beaten

2 lbs. of lean ground beef

1 pkg. of Stove Stop Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of bbq. sauce - divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Combine in large bowl, lean ground beef, stuffing mix, beaten eggs, and 1/4 cup of bbq. sauce. Mix until well blended. Shape mixture into an oval loaf in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Top meatloaf with remaining 1/4 cup of bbq. sauce. Bake 1 hour or until cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature. Should be at least 160 degrees in the center of meatloaf to be considered done.

The Rainier

2008-09-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Ok, so we are in the process of moving and I accidentally packed my cookbook I have all my recipes in that I have come up with! So, I will be getting creative this week to recall things I make that I haven't necessarily written down. Here I go again recreating a dish at a restaurant. This particular restaurant, 33rd St. Bistro, is one of my favorite places. I get the same thing over and over there. I have recreated it for home use.

The Rainier

Foccacia bread (sliced for a panini sandwich)
Smoked Mozzarella (shredded)
Roasted Chicken (shredded)
Mango Mayonnaise (simply take a cup of mayonnaise, add about 1 tsp. of lemon juice and 1 Tbls. mango puree, mix it together)

Build your sandwich on the foccacia using the cheese, chicken and mayo. Put in a pannini press and grill. If you don't have a press, just make it like you would grilled cheese...using a little oil to cook it in.

Garlicky Cheese Bread

2008-09-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

Kim here...We love garlic bread around these parts. When you are in the mood for something different and have some calories to spare, this is your bread! I again, re-created after having it at a restaurant. I didn't put measurements on this one because you just need to use your judgment on what is just right for your tastes. Enjoy!

Garlicky Cheese Bread

Sweet French bread
Butter, softened
Garlic cloves, chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Soften the butter and spread on the bread which is split lengthwise.
Sprinkle on garlic cloves, then the cheeses.
Broil under the broiler until desired doneness.

Strawberry Lemonade Slushy

2008-09-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

With summer rapidly coming to a close and Kim with her punch inspiration, here is our favorite summery drink treat. This wonderful recipe was courtesy of Kraft Food and Family Magazine. I love this magazine that Kraft sends out free of charge. I have found so many fantastic recipes in these. I have actually kept every single one and go back to them often.

Strawberry Lemonade Slushy

1/2 cup lemonade flavor drink mix (we use Country Time around these parts)

1/2 cup water

3 cups of ice cubes

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

Measure drink mix into cap to 1-qt. line (1/2 cup) Empty into blender container.

Add remaining ingredients; cover. Blend on high speed 10 seconds. Turn off blender. Stir with spoon; cover. Blend an additional 5 seconds or until smooth, using pulsing action. Serve immediately. Store the rest in freezer. You can also use fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries for a little bit of a twist.

Holmes Punch

2008-09-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Thanks Deb for my birthday greeting! I had a great one! Well, this punch, while simple, is sooo good. It has also been there for all of my later in life big events (ex: wedding, showers, etc.) My husband's mom's family is very big into punch. This punch is at every event, yes every event! His Aunt Diane is usually the one mixing it up. So this is a tribute to the Holmes Punch!

Holmes Punch

1 liter of Hawaiian Punch
1 liter of lemon lime soda

Mix together with ice and serve.

Happy Birthday Kim!!!!

2008-09-15T22:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Kim!

Look at us here in all of our high school glory.

Hope you have a great one my friend!

Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake

2008-09-12T09:36:00.001-07:00

Kim here...My husband's favorite dessert is strawberries and ice cream. Well, because I just can't serve ice cream in a bowl with some chopped up strawberries and always have to jazz it up, here is one of the versions of this dessert I have come up with. It's pretty tasty, not to mention very easy. This would make a great dessert to have when guests are over because it doesn't take but a minute to prepare and the visual on it is spectacular. Looks like it took you two days, but in reality just a few minutes. Enjoy!

Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake

1 package of puff pastry shells
Vanilla ice cream
Strawberries, chopped
Chocolate Syrup
Powdered Sugar for dusting

1. Bake the puff pastry according to directions. After baked, split in half.
2. On one round of the puff pastry, spoon on a dollop of ice cream. Put the other half of the round on top of the ice cream. Now it looks a little like a ice cream sandwich.
3. Take your strawberries and put some on top of the puff pastry and around the sides of it.
4. Take your chocolate syrup and go around the edge of the plate in a swirly design, or however you like to do it. This is for presentation and so you can dip your bite into the chocolate as you go.
5. Lastly, take your powdered sugar that is in a sifter type device and dust the dessert.

Chocolate Truffles

2008-09-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

Ooooops! I missed posting yesterday so I am sticking this one in a little late. Sorry, I had my days all mixed up.

So this is my chocolate truffle recipe. These babies are so delicious that you will want to eat them up before you have to serve them to anybody else. I made these for Christmas one year. I have to say that they do take a little bit of practice. The first time that I made them they were a little bit too firm when I was trying to roll them. You want to have them be the consistency of a really thick dough. They are super easy and most of the ingredients I keep handy at all times.

Chocolate Truffles

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter (no substitutes on this one)

12 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate. (I like to use Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips for this)

1 tsp. extract

Unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered sugar for rolling the truffles in. I don't use nuts but you can always use nuts too!

Heat cream and butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate; cook, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in extract. Transfer mixture to small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let chill for several hours until mixture is firm but can still be easily spooned out. Roll mixture into 1/2 inch balls, then roll in cocoa powder or powdered sugar. Place in shallow dish and chill until firm.

Garlic Tri Tip Sandwiches

2008-09-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Again, here I am copying another entree I have had at a restaurant. This is actually part of the thrill of me eating out, figuring out how to do it at home :)! My dad, his friend Charlie, my husband and I have all worked together to perfect it. I am proud to say this sandwich we created blows the socks off of the restaurant one! This is truly an indulgence but oh is it so tasty. It is a fun crowd pleaser too because guests get to have a part in their dinner which they always seem to like. Enjoy!

Garlic Tri Tip Sandwiches

Tri Tip (size depends on crowd)
Sweet Rolls (again crowd size dependant)
Garlic Butter (see below for recipe)

Garlic Butter

2 cubes of butter (this will do about 4-6 sandwiches)
1 bulb of garlic chopped (I highly recommend the food processor)

To make, put butter in a saucepan that has a large enough bottom for the sandwich rolls (open flat) to fit into. After butter is melted, turn down heat so that it won't burn or brown and add garlic. Let simmer or set for about 5 minutes.

To make sandwiches:
To prepare the tri tip, brush on a little olive oil and then salt and pepper the sucker. To cook the tri tip, there are several different ways. The preferred methodology is to smoke it. We own a pellet smoker and let it cook on there for about 3 hours and it is simply delicious. However, not everyone owns a smoker. So, here are some alternatives in cooking the tri tip in descending order from most delicious to just okay. 1. Smoked 2. Charcoal 3. Gas grill 4. Stove top grill 5. In a pan on the stove

So now that you have a cooked tri tip, it is assembly time. Let the tri tip rest 10-15 minutes before cutting into it and always cut against the grain. Slice into about 1/4 inch slices. Take your roll and open it up so that it is flat. Dip roll into the pan of garlic butter for a couple of seconds. Place sliced tri tip onto the roll with the yummy melty butter, close and enjoy!

**Feeding Tip**
To mash or puree this for little ones or ones that need help with the chewing this makes a great meal. Put sliced tri tip in food processor (2 slices). Add some garlic butter (about 1 Tbls.) and chop to desired consistency. Now, if this is still too dry for the one eating it, either add more butter or add some warmed up beef stock. The beef stock will take it to the puree step if needed. Talk about some gourmet food for your kiddos!

Mandarin Orange Salad

2008-09-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our big winner of our first Cowgirls and Cupcakes contest! As Kim said in the last post, we will be having our next giveaway at the beginning of October and of course it will be a spooky theme with another one of Kim's fantastic aprons!!!!! So stayed tuned all of you cowpokes out there!

This next recipe came from my parents next door neighbors who are more than just regular neighbors, they are super neighbors. Diane and her husband Rich have been fondly named "Grandma Diane and Papa Rich" by my daughters. I told you they were special neighbors.

I love any recipe that includes oranges. I have a perfect orange cake to share with you soon. This salad is perfect for these scorching summer days that we have been having.

Mandarin Orange Salad
A refreshing summer dessert (and a family favorite Easter dish).

1 large can mandarin oranges (or two small cans)

1 small can crushed pineapple

1 small box orange Jello

1 - 8 oz. small curd cottage cheese (NOT low fat as it becomes too watery)

1 package miniature marshmallows

1 - 9 oz. Cool Whip

Drain fruits. Combine in large bowl and sprinkle fruit with Jello mix. Add cottage cheese and mix very well. Add marshmallows and mix well. Fold in Cool Whip and chill.

We Have A Winner!

2008-09-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

OK, so here it is (drum roll please!) the winner of our first ever giveaway here at Cowgirls and Cupcakes is......(can you stand the suspense?) Kaytea! Congratulations! Please send us your mailing address to cowgirlsandcupcakes@gmail.com and we will get that lovely prize your way ASAP. Congratulations again and thank you so much for participating in our giveaway. On that note, thank you to all who participated!

We will be having an October giveaway soon so make sure you keep posted to see what lovely things we have in store for it! I can tell you there will be another apron (Halloween themed, of course) and other fun surprises!

Saddlin' up and off to cupcake dreamland...
The Cowgirls (aka: Deb & Kim)

Brown Sugar Squares

2008-09-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

Yee Haw, it's Deb here and it's Friday!!!! My favorite day of the week. Just wanted to remind you that our Cowgirls and Cupcakes giveaway is going to be coming to a close here on Monday at midnight. In order to be entered into the giveaway, you can either send us a recipe that we can post in the future at: cowgirlsandcupcakes@gmail.com, or make a comment on one of our posts. We have had so many nice comments and a ton of good recipes so keep them coming!

This next recipe comes from my sister-in-law Laurie. I have never tried these before, but as soon as I read the recipe, I knew that I would have to bust out a pan of these. Being that it's Friday, I thought we could all use a little treat, I hope you like them!

Brown Sugar Squares

2 eggs

2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°

Cream together eggs, brown sugar, & vanilla

Add remaining ingredients.

Spread mixture into greased 9x13 baking pan

Bake 20-25 minutes

Cool in pan, Cut into squares.

*I am going to have to experiment around with this recipe. For those of us allergic to nuts, we of course, just omit the walnuts. For people with egg allergy we could try our 1/2 a banana trick here or substitute with 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed or 1/4 cup of applesauce instead of the eggs. This is a great article that I found on about.com about egg substitutions. I hope you find it helpful:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/eggsubstitute.htm

Mango Chutney Pork Tenderloin and Coconut Rice with Roasted Asparagus

2008-09-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

It's Deb. This post came to us from clear across the United States in sunny Florida from another crafty girl by the name of Prentiss Lee Ladkani that also has an infinity for sewing. Check out her cool blog at: http://prenspace.com/blog. This sounds sooo good. I can't wait to give it a whirl. Thanks Prentiss!!!!

Mango Chutney Pork Tenderloin and Coconut Rice with Roasted Asparagus

This is a quick recipe I came up with based on a similar dish my mom used to make for us growing up. You can substitute the Mango Chutney with Pineapple preserves. Try a more traditional approach and use Apple preserves.

Prep time: 15 mins. Cook time: About 30 mins.

1.5lb pork tenderloin, patted dry

1 jar Major Grey's Mango Chutney

Salt & Pepper

2 cans Goya coconut water

Basmati rice

2lbs asparagus, patted dried and tough ends removed.

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 425°. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with foil; brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Place tenderloin in baking pan and pour entire jar of Major Greys Mango Chutney over it. Roast pork in oven for approximately 30 minutes (approx 20 mins for every 1/2 lb of tenderloin). Internal temperature should be at 160 for medium done-ness.
In another large glass baking dish, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss. Bake until the asparagus are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the stalks, stirring twice. Remove from the oven and toss with the lemon juice. Cook rice according to directions, replacing water with the Goya coconut water.
Once the tenderloin has cooked, remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Slice tenderloin into medallions and serve with coconut rice and asparagus.
http://prenspace.com/blog

Black Pepper Aioli

2008-09-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Kim here...My hubby and I went out on a date the other night. We went to this restaurant in Roseville and had a fabulous burger. Oh yeah, did I tell ya...I am a burger fanatic! Love those things! Anyway, what made this burger different was the black pepper aioli they served on it. I cannot tell you how good this stuff was. So as always, I was determined to recreate something that I loved at a restaurant (easier on the pocket book if I can do it myself, ya know). After searching for recipes online and then combining them to make my own I came up with something that was spot-on for the restaurant. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as my family did. Even my kiddos gobbled this stuff up on the turkey cheese burgers we had tonight!

Black Pepper Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise
4 roasted garlic cloves (to roast garlic...cut the top off a garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour)
1-2 tsp. lemon or lime juice (depends on how tart you want it)
1-2 Tbls. fresh ground pepper (start with one tablespoon, go up from there...there should be lots of pepper in this, this is what makes it good)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and mix well. Serve on burgers, etc...

Feeding Tip:
When you make a burger and want to feed it to your little one who can't chew yet, this sauce makes a great way to soften it. Stick half the burger patty into your food processor. Spoon in about 1 Tbls. of this as well. Mix until you have the desired consistency. The burger will still be chunky, but the aioli makes it soft so that they can swallow it. If you have a child with sensory issues like mine, they will love this. The black pepper is like a party in their mouth!

Vegan Spinach Dip

2008-09-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

It's Deb. Here is another great recipe for all you vegans and vegetarians out there as well as our friends that suffer from milk/egg allergies. This is another recipe from our friend Monica over at Puppybird.

Vegan Spinach Dip

1 package (10oz) organic frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16oz) Tofutti Better than Sour Cream
1 cup Veganaise (vegan mayonnaise) *(I don't know where she finds this, but I am going to have to go on a little recognisance mission to find this goodness in a bottle)
1 package Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8oz) water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 organic green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers.

Wendy's Stuffed Mushrooms

2008-09-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Kim here...This is my sister-in-law's infamous stuffed mushrooms. They seriously get devoured at any get together! Wendy is an excellent cook and owns her own catering company. She is very well known in Yuba County and does a wonderful spread. If you need something catered she is a great resource! Her catering company is Cooper Catering. Email us at cowgirlsandcupcakes@gmail.com and I will pass the information on to her! Thanks Wendy for sharing this recipe with us. We get very excited around here when we get recipes to share! Here is what she has to say about her mushrooms...

Wendy's Stuffed Mushrooms

I use regular mushrooms but if you want to be fancy you could use crimini mushrooms too. I would just recommend using medium to larger size mushrooms, its hard to stuff the tiny ones.

1 lb mushrooms
1 lb regular or reduced fat Jimmy Dean Sausage
16 oz cream cheese
1 bunch green onions
1 Lemon
1 clove garlic
A few Tbls olive oil

Do ahead: Take your mushrooms and wipe then with paper towel. Don't wash with water. Carefully pull out the stems and scrape out the center a little with a knife or fingertip depending on how the stubborn the mushroom is being. You want a nice little well in the middle of the mushrooms. Set aside.

Set out cream cheese to soften. Fry up your jimmy dean sausage on medium heat until well done and brown. Make sure that the meat is in small crumbly pieces. Add 1 or so cloves of crushed or minced garlic. Continue to cook until your garlic is golden for maximum flavor.

Using a mixer add cream cheese, sausage, minced green onion, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, a little finely ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix until mixture is well blended and creamy. Set aside.

Saute mushroom in a combination of a little olive oil and butter until the mushrooms are tender. Drain liquid and put mushrooms in an oven safe casserole pan. For this next step you can use a cake frosting tube; however I would be careful of using the same tube for frosting later.....sausage frosting just seems like it would taste wrong somehow. If you don't have a cake frosting tube like me, just use a zip lock. Fill zip lock with sausage mixture,zip tightly, and cut a small hole in the corner. Proceed to squirt enough mixture to fill the well in the mushrooms. It should overflow a little bit but not too much. You can do this a whole day ahead if you want or bake right away on 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until Mushroom filling is golden brown.

Enjoy! Wendy

Chicken Cacciatore

2008-08-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey, its Deb. The Cowgirls and Cupcakes giveaway is officially on its way. We have had quite a few comments as well as quite a few new recipes to add to the blog. Thank you so much for reading and contributing! This next recipe came from a good friend of mine by the name of Jennifer Billeci. Jenn and I have known each other since the womb, as I have with my buddy Kim. We have had so much fun together throughout the years and I have to say that Jennifer is one of the most fantastic cooks that I know. She also comes from one of the nicest families that I know that keep family as well as their Italian cooking heritage close to their heart. I am crossing my fingers that maybe she might also send us her fantastic pesto recipe! (Hint Hint) It's yummy. I have personally tasted it! And if you are looking to invest in some real estate, you might also want to check out Jenn and her husband Roger's website at: http://www.propertyqwest.com/
So I hope you enjoy her recipe and keep on cookin cowgirls!

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore was a family staple in our house growing up. The smells it sends through the house are right up there with chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. This was my favorite meal growing up and now I share it with my own family. It is best on a crisp fall day or cold winter evening. This recipe is one that has been passed down over the years from generations who didn’t rely on recipes, so go with your senses when cooking! Serve with a good bottle of red wine, a small salad, and a good loaf of crusty French bread and you’ll have yourself a great meal . . . Buon Appetito!

Skinless chicken pieces (you can do bone-in or boneless – I think the bone adds more flavor to the sauce – I normally cook six to eight pieces, but you can adjust everything for the size of your crowd! However, make sure you don’t crowd the chicken in the pan as you will want it to brown – if they are too crowded they will just steam.)

Fill a plastic bag with flour and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and shake – to coat all chicken pieces.

In a large fry pan add 2-3 tbls. olive oil and equal amount butter (if you need more, add more olive oil – not butter)

Once the pan is heated, add chicken to the pan brown on both sides. Add sauce and simmer (the longer the better – the meat should be so tender it begins to pull away from the bone!)

Sauce (adjust accordingly if you use more chicken):

1 can chopped tomatoes

½ cup chicken broth

Chopped up celery (2-3 stalks)

parsley (a small bunch)

onion

5-6 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf, basil (1 tsp. or so)

rosemary (a couple branches chopped or 1 tsp. dried or so)

4-5 sliced mushrooms

1/3 – ¼ cup red wine (don’t worry for kids, the alcohol cooks out)

salt and pepper to taste

After simmering for 1 hour or so, if you feel the sauce is too liquid add tomato paste. Let simmer (not too high) until the chicken is tender. Serve with lots of sauce on top to soak up with the French bread!

*For children who can’t yet chew, this makes a great puree!

http://www.propertyqwest.com/

Mango Iced Tea

2008-08-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Kim here... I seem to be on a bit of a drink roll right now, but today since it is so hot outside (106!) I really thought this recipe was appropriate. I am a huge lover of iced tea; I drink about 3 glasses of it daily! There is a restaurant in town that serves Mango Iced Tea on their menu and I am in love with this stuff. I tried several different ways to re-create it at home and I have finally stumbled upon greatness. Yummy! My daughter is so funny because she always asks why she can't have any of this. I say, "Well Bear, it is because it has caffeine in it and you are too little to have caffeine." She responds back, "Oh, yes Mommy, I forgot...It's the caufine. When I am older I can have that caufine stuff!" Don't forget to enter a comment to be automatically entered into our giveaway!

Mango Iced Tea

4 cups boiling water
3 Lipton Tea Bags
3 Lipton Mango Tea Bags

Boil water and pour into a 4 cup measuring cup or pitcher. Add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. Either pull the tea bags out or leave them in after your first pour (I leave them in because I love strong tea and more caffeine gets in there too!) Take a great big glass and fill to the brim with ice. Pour tea over ice and let sit for a minute to get nice and cold. Delicious!

Our First Giveaway!!!!!

2008-08-27T22:54:00.001-07:00

Yes, Cowgirls and Cupcakes is having a giveaway in all of our festive cowgirl style. Our closet seamstress Kim has whipped up a beautiful cupcake apron that you will kill for, as well as a cool cupcake applique from the new line of Crafty Chica products at Michaels. We love these products. Please check out her fantastic site. The giveaway also includes some retro style cupcake papers, recipe cards, etc. and maybe a few surprises too. So here's how it works: Starting August 28 - September 8th leave us a comment on our blog or send us a recipe via email and we will enter you into our giveaway. On September 8th at midnight we will have a drawing and choose the winner. So be sure to tell all of your friends and they can enter too! We really appreciate all of the people that have checked out our blog, and now, we want to hear from you!!!!! One comment per person please.

F.Y.I to those of you who are not familiar with the comments section, it is located right below a post where you will see the word "comments". You just click on that and comment away.

Rookie Cookie Shake

2008-08-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

Kim here...This milkshake goes way back when when my mama made it for my dad and me. We like chocolate in our family, as I am sure you can tell from this shake, and this definitely takes the craving away! I know Deb is a big fan of this one too since we used to have it at our house together when we were growing up!

Rookie Cookie Shake

3 Oreo cookies
1/4 cup of whole milk (more depending on how thick or thin you like your shake)
6 scoops of chocolate ice cream (more or less depending on the consistency you like)
Couple of squirts of chocolate syrup

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend. It was hard to come up with an exact recipe on this one since we all like our milkshakes different consistencies. Just keep adding more milk a little at a time if it is too thick, or add more ice cream if it is too thin. Keep tasting to add more cookies or chocolate syrup to boost up the flavor more if necessary! All in all, a delicious treat!

Dairy Free/Egg Free French Toast

2008-08-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

Our little Scout loves to be able to eat the same foods that we eat, and I always try to make an effort to cook the same thing for us as a family. The Scout as you may know by now, is highly allergic to milk and eggs. This is a little experiment that I came up with on my own, and she really likes it.

Dairy Free/Egg Free French Toast

Dairy Free Wheat Bread - I like wheat because it's healthier. I love Sara Lee products because they are so great with their labeling and also make quite a bit of their products without milk. Read your labels people!

1/2 - 1 whole banana

soy milk or vanilla soy milk- no measurements available. I just eye it.

1 tablespoon of dairy free margarine - I use Nucoa.

Topping: Cinnamon; dairy free maple syrup; powdered sugar

Grab out your food processor or blender. Slice up the banana and throw it into the processor along with a little bit of the soy milk. You will have to experiment with this to find the right consistency. Puree away until the bananas and soy milk are well combined. You are looking for a close consistency of regular french toast batter that is made with eggs and milk. Keep trying until you get it close. If you don't have a food processor or a blender, you can use a fork or a mixer. Once that is done, put the tablespoon of margarine on your grill pan or fry pan and melt it. Dip your pieces of bread into mixture and onto the pan. Keep an eye on your bread, you don't want to burn it. Pull it off, sprinkle some cinnamon, dairy-free maple syrup or powdered sugar and dig in.

Delightful Punch

2008-08-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Kim here...This is the standby punch I always make at birthday parties, etc. It is super easy and can make quite a bit. This recipe will definitely fit in a standard size punch bowl, or large pitcher depending on what you use. Enjoy!

Delightful Punch

1 liter of Sprite (or any lemon-lime soda)

1 frozen can of cranberry juice, do not mix with water! (if it is a cranberry blend of sorts, that works too)

1 carton of pulp free orange juice (I love Simply Orange in this)

1. Mix all together and enjoy! If you wanted to spice up your party a bit, a jigger (shot) or two of vodka in here would be divine! Hmmm...maybe I will go make some now, ha! :)

Easy Dairy Free Frosting

2008-08-21T22:52:00.001-07:00

Hey, it's Deb. Just wanted to pop by and give you an easy dairy free frosting recipe for your cakes. I have been on the hunt forever for a dairy free frosting that tastes good, and with a little experimentation and some fancy substitution, here is one that I think you or your little one might enjoy! This is the birthday cake that I made for my daughter's birthday. We are cupcake crazy around here - Yeehaw!

Easy Dairy Free Frosting

1 box of powdered sugar

1/4 cup of soy milk or vanilla soy milk depending on how sweet you want it

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 stick of dairy free margarine (I love Nucoa. My daughter Scout loves the taste of it. It's dairy free and usually the cheapest margarine at the grocery store, wahoo!)

Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. If you want it thinner make sure to add a little more soy milk. It is enough to frost one 8 inch layer cake.

If you want chocolate add 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and beat an extra minute.

*Allergy Tip: One important piece of advice that I have learned when shopping for your allergy free items is: Not To Assume Anything. Always read labels! Even if you have bought the product 1,000 times and just know it has nothing in it that you are allergic to. Do yourself a favor and read it 1,001. Products frequently have ingredient changes and will really come to surprise you sometimes. I have had this happen on more then one occasion and it is never a pleasant surprise. So be sure to always read your labels!

Baked Artichoke Cheese Dip in a Sourdough Bread Bowl

2008-08-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Kim here...This is yumminess in a bowl! Always a hit at parties and so simple to make. I usually make it the night before to give me one less thing to do before the party. Works great and lets the flavors meld (is that a word?) together. I serve it with pita chips which are found at the grocery store in the natural food section.

Baked Artichoke Cheese Dip in a Sourdough Bread Bowl

1 sourdough round, top cut off (save!) and hollowed out
2/3 can (15 oz.) artichokes, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 cup mayonnaise (check for Deb's future post on homeade mayo for those of you allergic to this stuff.)
1 cup shredded jack cheese
1/4 small onion, chopped finely
1 cup grated Parmensan cheese

1. Mix all ingredents together and put into the hollowed out sourdough bread. Put lid back on.
2. If making the day ahead, cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator. Take out about 30 minutes prior to baking to give it a chance to get to room temperature.
3. Bake with lid on for 1 hour 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cabbage Salad

2008-08-19T22:12:00.000-07:00

This recipe was sent to us by Linda O'Donnell a long time friend of our family. Thank you Linda!

CABBAGE SALAD OR GREEN SALAD

Melt the butter/margarine in a skillet and brown together - first the sesame seeds and almonds, then add the noodles.

Cabbage Salad
1/2 cup butter/margarine (1 block but I usually use a little less)
2 packages Ramen noodles crushed
1/2 cup sesame seeds ( I use about half of this)
2 handfuls slivered almonds
1 head cabbage, shredded
2 stalks green onions, chopped (optional)

optional - try adding some dark leafy lettuce, looks pretty.
I don't see why you couldn't add a little bit of red cabbage for color.

DRESSING / SAUCE
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar (I usually use a little less)
dash of pepper

Baked Ziti with Red & Cream Sauce

2008-08-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Here is another recipe for Baked Ziti. We are big fans of this stuff around our house! It is very simple to make and gives you lots of leftovers. Check below for feeding tips.

Baked Ziti with Red & Cream Sauce

For Cream Sauce:
1 Tbls. Butter
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For Ziti:
1 jar marinara sauce (Big fan of Golden Grain marinara)
16 oz. package of ziti noodles (or any tubular noodle)
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cups bread crumbs (take French bread you are going to use for dinner and place in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs)
Salt/Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil pasta in water, follow directions on package.

2. Make the cream sauce. First heat butter and heavy cream in a saucepan. Stir frequently. When the mixture starts to bubble, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Reduce heat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.

3. Brown the ground beef until no longer pink, add salt and pepper while it is browning. After beef is cooked, add marinara sauce. Stir together and let simmer for a few minutes.

4. Put cooked noodles, cream sauce, red sauce and mozzarella together in the pan and mix together. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling. Broil for 3 minutes until top is golden brown.

*Feeding Note*
Simply put into food processor to mash or puree. Add a bit more marinara sauce or water if needed to thin out puree.

Vegan Cheesecake

2008-08-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe was sent to us from Monica at Puppybird. If you have not checked out Puppybird yet, please do. "Puppy Bird offers one-of-a-kind fashions for hip and compassionate individuals."
http://www.puppybird.com/

Vegan Cheesecake

3pkgs of Tofutti "Better Than Cream Cheese"

1 cup sweetener (i.e. sugar)

Juice of 1 lemon

1Tbsp. vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients well. Pour/spoon into a ready made or home made graham cracker crust.
*(the ready made Keebler graham cracker crusts sold at any major super market are vegan - no kidding)

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees until top starts to brown. Cool and refrigerate until completely cold.

(An interesting side note about the creator of this recipe. He is a former hunter and primate researcher turned vegan and animal rights advocate. The 1987 film "Project X" starring Mathew Broderick and Helen Hunt was based upon experiments he was involved in before denouncing such experiments and going public with the information.)

Thank you Monica for sending us several vegan recipes. We will be posting all of them on Cowgirls and Cupcakes over the next few weeks. So many people are choosing to eat vegan as well as vegetarian these days that it is nice to have some great recipes. I also love getting vegan recipes for my youngest daughter Scout. She is highly allergic to milk and eggs and vegan recipes are fantastic for her to chow down on.

http://www.puppybird.com/

Mom's Manicottis

2008-08-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's AMORE." That is the song that comes to mind when I eat Italian food. I worked at an Italian restaurant for about nine years and couldn't ever get enough of their manicottis or that song that played hourly on their old jukebox. I love the cheesy goodness of that lovely stuffed noodle. My Mom makes some pretty hard to beat manicottis and I have been using her recipe for as long as I can remember. I just took a double batch of these over to my brother's new house where he had a crew of family members busy painting, texturing, cleaning and installing. They were in dire need of food and these seem to hit the spot. They got some rave reviews that day so I thought you might like to make them too and see what you think.

Mom's Manicottis

A batch of your best spaghetti sauce - if you are in a hurry like me, use a jar of Ragu!

A box of manicotti noodles

1/2 pound mozzarella (8 oz)

3/4 cup cottage cheese

2 slightly beaten eggs

2 tbsp. of Parmesan

1/4 tsp. salt and pepper

Cook your spaghetti sauce and set aside. Pull out a 9 x 13 baking pan and put about a full cup of spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan. Make sure you move it around making sure a small amount is disbursed throughout most of the pan. Then the fun begins... In mixing bowl combine the mozzarella and next four ingredients. Next, open manicotti noodles. You will not need to boil the noodles on this recipe, the magic happens with the sauce and the foil. Wash up your hands and then dive into the goo and begin stuffing each noodle with mixture from the mixing bowl. I used to try to do this neatly, but you just have to get your hands messy on this one, sorry. Set each noodle in pan leaving about an inch or so in between each one. This allows for some growing room when they cook. Lastly, you will pour the remaining sauce over all the stuffed noodles in the pan. You want to make sure that all of them are well covered. Since these noodles have not been boiled, they will be dependent on the heat and the steam of the sauce to cook them up nicely. Make sure to cover with foil (if you don't cover it, that steam won't cook your noodles) and pop it into the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve it with some sourdough bread from your local bakery and a green salad and of course some wine! Let me know how they come out.

~ Deb
Your Cowgirl in Waiting

Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti

2008-08-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

Kim here...Here is an easy weeknight meal you could put together in less that 15 minutes. Good too! It also happens to be my son's favorite. He usually will eat most things, as long as they are mashed :), but this one he actually gets really excited about! He will start pumping his arms up and down after taking the first bite and open his mouth wide open in anticipation for the next one. See feeding tip below.

Easy Cheesy Baked Ziti

3/4 box of ziti noodles, cooked and drained
1 jar of marinara sauce (I like Golden Grain)
1 bag of shredded mozzarella (2-4 cups worth depending on how cheesy you want it!)
1 pound ground beef

1. Boil water for noodles and cook according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Put beef in large pan. Start crumbling and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until there is no more pink.
3. Drain fat, then add marinara sauce. Stir and simmer for a few minutes more.
4. Mix in pasta noodles and cheese into the same pan as your beef sauce. Reserve some cheese to sprinkle on top of the casserole. Dump mixture into a 13x9 pan, spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Place into preheated 350 degree oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Cheese on top will be nice and melty!

*Feeding Note*
To puree this meal, simply place into a food processor. Sometimes the cheese makes it very sticky and clumpy, if this is the case add a little more marinara sauce if you have extra, or water, or chicken broth, or beef broth. Just add enough to get the consistency you want. The broths will give more flavor to the meal than water. The good thing is even if you use a little of the broth can it will keep in the refrigerator for about a week so you could use if for many more meals.

To mash this meal, simply place into food processor and give it a couple of whirls.

Homemade Spaghetti

2008-08-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hey readers it's Deb. Please note the fun music selection to your right as you peruse the blog. These are a few songs (100 to be exact) that Kim and I have grooved to throughout the years. We hope you enjoy this little addition and hope that some of the songs can take you back to some great memories as they do for us.

Some very exciting news: it's our first official entry for Cowgirls and Cupcakes from someone other than Kim or myself. So cool! A huge "Thank You" to Hatfield Systems for being our first entry. If you are looking for reliable and affordable computer consulting services in Sacramento and Placer county, please check out Hatfield Systems at: http://hatfieldsystems.com/

Homemade Spaghetti

Enough noodles for 4 people

2 cans tomato sauce

5-10 mushrooms cut into 4 slices each (more slices for less chunky, less slices for more chunky)

1 tomato (sliced and diced)

2 teaspoons sliced garlic

1 pound ground meat

1 package Italian seasoning

Brown meat on medium to high heat
Drain meat juice (this is all fat anyway)
Add tomato sauce, mushrooms, tomato, garlic, Italian seasoning
Set heat on low & cover
Let simmer for minimum of half hour, stirring every 5-6 minutes.
Once meat has been simmering for 15 minutes, cook noodles until they are soft, but not too much to make the noodles rubbery. (Follow directions on the box)
Serve hot with French Bread, salad, and Parmesan cheese and you’re ready to get full!

http://hatfieldsystems.com/

Breakfast Potatoes

2008-08-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Kim here...This recipe I dedicate to my beautiful daughter. She is absolutely in love with these things! It all started many years ago when my mom used to make these for me on Saturday morning. Oh, what a special treat they were. Now I have carried on the tradition for my little girl and she looks forward to them as well. The recipe has changed a little as the years have gone on, but it is essentially the same. Hopefully you will enjoy them as well!

Breakfast Potatoes

2 brown baking potatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
salt & pepper to taste

Optional items:
*crumbled bacon
*cheddar cheese
*eggs
*wheat germ

1. Chop onion and garlic. Put these into a heated, large skillet with about 1 Tbls. of oil in it. Saute until a nice golden brown. Turn off heat when they reach this.

2. While onions and garlic are sauteing, chop potatoes into cubes (the smaller they are the faster they cook). I usually chop them into about 1/2" cubes. Leave the peel on. Put them into a dish that is microwave safe with a lid or use plastic wrap to cover them. Before putting on the lid or plastic wrap, season with salt and pepper and the Tablespoon of oil. Stir well. Cover them up and place in microwave for 4 minutes. Take out, stir and microwave for another 3-4 minutes. (All of these times may vary due to the strength of your microwave, but basically just want to cook them until they are soft all the way through. It won't take long for you to figure out how many minutes it takes for your microwave to cook them all the way through.)

3. Take cooked potatoes and dump them into the skillet with the onions and garlic. Turn heat back on to med/low and stir while cooking for a few minutes more. Basically you want the two to meld together for a little bit. Turn off the heat and serve.

4. *Options* Here are some ways you can change these up...
*Sprinkle cheese on top of the cooked potatoes.
*Add crumbled bacon to them w/ or w/o the cheese.
*While cooking the potatoes in step 3, add a raw egg that has
been slightly scrambled. Mix together and it will cook quickly.
*Do a combination of all three.
*For my daughter, I usually skip the garlic and onions and just
cook the potatoes in the microwave for her, then top with
cheese.
*Sprinkle with a little bit of wheat germ to give an invisible,
tasteless protien and vitamin boost.

*Feeding Note*
This is a great way to introduce cubes to your child/baby. I simply detach the skin on the potatoes after they are done cooking and either mash the cube a little bit or cut it into smaller cubes for my son. They are soft enough that they are easily chewed. Do have a drink nearby in case of choking/gagging. The potatoes are soft, however are not very slimy so are not easily swallowed.

Dama Margie's Ginger Snaps

2008-08-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

It's Deb. My Grandma Margie (who my daughter's now call Dama Margie) is one of the best cooks that I know. She is always in her kitchen or her sewing room whipping up fabulous things for her family to enjoy. These are some of my favorite cookies that she makes. These cookies are crunchy due to the shortening so just beware! I love crunchy cookies though, they really go good with a big glass of milk!

I am trying to find what the substitution is for shortening to butter. Unfortunately, I cannot indulge in the greasy white stuff anymore due to my soy allergy and have to go back for the butter. In all of my research, I have not yet found a good solution to this. I think it will have to be through trial and error. If anyone knows a good substitution amount for these two, please leave us a comment and let us know.

Dama Margie's Ginger Snaps

3/4 c. shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. molasses (Oh, how I love these ooey-gooey molasses)

2 -1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream the first four ingredients together with mixer. I love my Kitchen-Aid! Set aside. In a separate bowl sift together next six dry ingredients and then add them to the creamed mixture. Shape dough into balls and dip tops into sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet or, my favorite little tool, the silicone baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees ten to twelve minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet.

** Allergy Trick** Did you know that you can substitute bananas for eggs. I have been using this trick with my youngest daughter who is highly allergic to eggs and she thinks it tastes great. Of course always use your discretion as when to use bananas. Some things just don't taste right with banana flavoring. Use 1/2 -3/4 of regular size banana for 1-3 eggs. You can use this in brownies, cookies most anything that is sweet it will work. Try it, it works I'm telling you!

Wheat Germ Pancakes with Blueberries aka: "Purple Pancakes"

2008-08-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Kim here. This recipe is loaded with great ingredients like wheat germ and blueberries. Both great for immune systems and the brain. My husband does not like "foo foo" pancakes as he calls white flour pancakes. So, I went on a quest to find non-foo foo pancakes that were edible! I adapted a couple of recipes and came up with this one. It doesn't taste like sticks and stones and is actually quite fluffy and soft! Both of my kiddos eat them up! As a tip, make sure if you are using frozen blueberries to make sure they are room temperature. This will make cooking the pancakes much easier. As an added side note on wheat germ... when trying to get your baby or child to eat thicker foods, add wheat germ. It is a great thickener and also very good for them. You can add it to yogurt, applesauce, pureed fruits and vegetables and much more.

Wheat Germ Pancakes with Blueberries aka: "Purple Pancakes"

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 Tbls. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (You can find this with the oatmeal in the grocery store, it comes in a glass jar and is already toasted)
1 egg
1 egg white
2 cups buttermilk (fresh or powdered)
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (if using frozen, completely thaw and rinse)

1. Put flours, sugar, baking soda, salt and wheat germ into a bowl. Stir with a spoon.
2. In a separate bowl, combine egg, egg white and buttermilk.
3. Put the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir. Mix just enough for dough to be mixed , it will be lumpy.
4. Add in berries and stir gently. Don't worry, pancakes might be a little purple. This is how they came to be known as purple pancakes at our house!
5. Preheat nonstick skillet on medium heat. You can brush pan with a little butter or leave out this step. Put 1/4 cup of batter onto skillet and flip when the bubbles burst on top. Cook until done.

**If you are making many pancakes and want to keep the cooked ones warm while you are cooking, just preheat your oven to the lowest setting (mine is 170) and plop them in there while you are cooking. Keeps them nice and warm without drying them out.**

Stove Top Fast Cass

2008-08-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

Deb here. I love quick dinner in a dish meals. Like most of you out there, my family is always on the go. During the school year we either have soccer or baseball and Girl Scouts to juggle and during the summer it is swimming lessons, family gatherings and vacations. This dish is nice because you can make it ahead of time and serve it whenever - and it is tasty.

I believe I got this recipe out of a magazine. It is a Stove-Top Recipe so you probably could get on their website and find it too. I like to mix it up a little bit and throw in additional sour cream or change the stuffing to turkey stuffing instead of chicken stuffing. Ooooooo, now I am really living on the wild side!

Stove Top Fast Cass

1 pkg (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken (or Turkey if you are wild like me)

1-1/2lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces ( I use about two good size chicken breasts, it's just easier. I hate to measure)

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

1/3 cup of sour cream

1 bag of frozen peas and carrots, thawed and drained ( the original recipe calls for the mixed vegetables, but I am not a huge lima bean fan and the peas and carrots came out with rave reviews from the fam. Please use whatever you like or what you have handy) don't forget to thaw these guys first. There is nothing worse then having hard peas and carrots in this casserole. Trust me, I have learned by mistake.

O.k. so here's the deal:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.

Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in a 13x9 inch baking dish; top with stuffing.

The directions say to bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done. My oven takes about 40-45 minutes for the chicken to be done. You may have to experiment a little.

I told you, super easy and really tasty!

Quick & Delicious Chili

2008-08-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

What cowgirl is complete without some chili? This recipe is soooo simple and literally takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 20 more minutes to simmer. 30 minutes later; you have dinner. I used to do different chili's that would take me hours, but one day I decided to try this one. Well, my husband said it was the best chili he has had and at family get togethers I always get asked for this recipe because they like it so much. So here is my "secret" chili recipe. Forget cooking for hours and hours friends, just do this one and save yourself a headache!

*Look below for puree and mashing ideas* You are probably thinking I am crazy for feeding somewhat spicy chili to my 1 year old. However, this is great to give children who need more "heat" in their food for sensory issues. Give my son a bland food and it doesn't have enough kick to it for him to want to work on his feeding, this however, he will go crazy with. Things you learn during feeding therapy! Thanks Peri, you are the best!

Quick & Delicious Chili

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey

2 cans Hunts Chili Makin's tomato sauce (Note: I have never been able to find this at Safeway but know that Raley's & Bel Air stocks it)

1 15 oz. can pinto beans (undrained)

1. Brown ground meat in a pot seasoned with salt and pepper. Drain fat from meat. Pop open the 3 cans and dump into the meat. Stir, and then bring to a bubble. Simmer for 20 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. Top with cheddar cheese, if desired.

***To puree, simply put into a food processor and blend to desired consistency. If it is still too thick, add a little water. To mash, either use your food processor for just a few whirls or mash with fork.***

Deb's "Take It Anywhere" Mac Salad

2008-08-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a fun camping trip to Scott's Flat Lake with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law and niece. I love to go camping. When I was growing up I remember my parents and our family friends the Kraus's spending hours meal planning for our "big" trip to the woods for the weekend. Unfortunately I was not as organized this trip as far as our meal planning went. We did do the traditional bbq'd hot dogs for lunch the first day and bbq'd hamburgers for dinner and who can forget the smores?! But the one thing I did make which is a staple for any camping trip was mac salad. This recipe for "take it anywhere" mac salad is one that has been handed down for many generations in my family and is a must at any of our family get togethers next to the potato salad. The recipe has changed over the years slightly as it has gone from person to person and this is my version of it.

Deb's "Take It Anywhere" Mac Salad

1 - (12-16oz pkg.) of salad macaroni - I like to use the little salad macaronis. They are getting harder and harder to find at the grocery store. So if you have a hard time, any smaller pasta will work.

1 cup of mayo

3/4 to 1 cup of sweet pickle relish

3 eggs (hard boiled and diced)

4.25 oz. can of chopped olives

4 oz. jar of diced pimientos

1-3 tbsp. dried parsley

1-3 tbsp. dried minced onion

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Hard boil eggs about 20 minutes or until done. Let cool in fridge. Boil noodles per package directions and then drain. Let pasta cool. If pasta gets sticky just run a little cold water over it. Add mayo and relish and thoroughly mix through. Add the rest of the ingredients mixing very well to make sure that everything has been well combined. Chill in fridge overnight and serve the next day. This salad always tastes better the next day. It really allows the mayo and relish to soak in. If it looks too dry the next day add a little more mayo and relish. Don't go overboard. A little bit goes a long way. As you can see with the parsley and minced onion, I leave you a range. I do this because everyone has different tastes. I personally load it to the max with these two ingredients. My husband, Mike, always gets so upset if I accidentally leave out the parsley. It really gives it a little zing of flavor.

Allergy Note: We will be posting a homemade mayo recipe that does not include vegetable oil for those of you out there that are allergic to soy like me! So stay tuned. I have to steal it from my Grandma's secret wonderful recipe box. The homemade mayo post will be up soon!

Breadcrumb Chicken

2008-08-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Kim here. One night I was going to make this fancy chicken dish for the family and then realized I had forgotten most of the ingredients at the grocery store! At first I was very frustrated because I had no idea what I was going to feed everyone for dinner. So, I started getting creative. As my mom says, "Mother Hubbard's cupboard was bare". I needed to use the limited supplies I had. Well, I had some fresh bread, eggs and staple seasonings. I put them together and came up with this recipe. It was actually really good and now have a good recipe to use when supplies are low. Enjoy! *Check out below for puree and mashing tips*

Breadcrumb Chicken

Fresh sweet bread (you know, the stuff you get warm at the grocery store)
Garlic salt
Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Parmesan
Oil spray
2 Eggs
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Take your bread roll and mentally cut it into 3rds. If you are doing 2-4 breasts, then you just need about 1/3 of it. If you are doing more then increase accordingly. Take your bread and tear it into a food processor. You should be using the usual cutting blade. Process the bread until you get a breadcrumb consistency you like. Put in a dish (I like a pie plate).

2. Add seasonings to taste to the breadcrumbs (garlic salt, pepper, italian seasoning, parmesan). Everyone has a different palate for seasonings, so I intentionally left this up to you. A start is at about 1 tsp each of the seasonings and about 1/4 cup of the parmesan. Smell the mixture to see how it smells and this will help you adjust. Make sure they are mixed well into the breadcrumbs.

3. Beat the 2 eggs into a dish (I like using pie plates).

4. Rinse chicken and dip into egg, then in breadcrumbs and then lay on a plate.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Preheat a skillet with about 2 Tbls of olive oil in it. Once warm, place chicken into oil and let cook on that side for about 3-5 minutes on med-high heat. Flip and you should see a nice golden brown. Cook on this side for 3-5 minutes as well. Transfer chicken into a greased 13x9 pan and place in oven. Let cook for about 30-45 minutes or until juices run clear. The times will vary time to time due to thickness of chicken breast.

6. Let rest for a few minutes and then, enjoy!

*****Tip for pureeing or mashing this...*****
* Chunk chicken into your food processor. Add chicken stock to get a nice puree, or just a little to mash it. Also, if serving pasta or mashed potatoes with this, put those in there instead or with the chicken stock to get a good puree or mash. *

Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

2008-07-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's Deb. Hope you enjoyed Kim's fantastic chocolate chippers. I covet her cookies. Sometimes she will even surprise me with a batch. (Hint Hint) I can never make them as good as my friend. She is a fabulous cook and I wish that I could kidnap her and keep her cooking in my kitchen just for me, but alas, I guess her family may need her or something. Drat! My turn for a little recipe. I just love squash, especially yellow squash! I know, I must be weird right. This stuff is super yummy and I wish that I remembered the history behind this recipe, but I don't. I do remember it came from a family reunion of mine and I have to say that I come from a long line of fantastic cooks! Most of who you will meet in future posts. So try it as a side dish. Heck, I might eat it as a main dish it's so good. You can never go wrong when you mix butter and cheese with anything.

Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

4 pounds (wow, that's a lot) of yellow squash, sliced

4 tbsp. of butter or margarine

1 lrg. sweet onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 cups of soft breadcrumbs, divided

1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (I use dried, so make sure to check the label for conversion)

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (Again, I am a cheater!)

1 (8oz.) container of sour cream

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

2 lrg. eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Cook squash in boiling water to cover in large skillet 8 - 10 minutes or just until tender. Drain well, gently press between two paper towels.

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic and saute 5-6 minutes or until tender. Removed skillet from heat; stir in squash, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and next 7 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 13X9 inch baking pan.

Melt remaining 2 tbsp. butter. Stir together melted butter, remaining 1 1/2 cup of soft breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Sprinkle mixture evenly over top of the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until set.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-07-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

These have been my specialty for many years. I seem to have a knack for them. When I was in High School, my economics teacher set up a lesson for the class to come up with something to sell. My group decided that I should make my chocolate chip cookies. So, I went home, made a couple of batches and brought them back to school the next day. When our "selling" time began in class, my cookies were gone in less than 5 minutes. We were the winners of the lesson and had a few dollars profit. Now they are a hit with my family and friends and Deb still hits me up for them on occasion! I do want to give credit to my friend Michelle whose recipe this originated from. I change up my recipe for these cookies from time to time and this one is simply delicious. Thanks Michelle!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks of butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 eggs (1 egg & 1 egg white)
1 Tbls. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Combine butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beat.
3. Add flour, salt and baking soda, beat. Add chocolate chips and stir.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes.
5. Cook until just done and cool on a wire rack.

Who Are We?

2008-07-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

Kim

My name is Kim and I love to cook and do crafty things. Chocolate chip cookies seem to be my specialty and scrapbooking is my current craft of choice lately. I have been married for almost 8 years to a very loving and patient man and I have two children.

My daughter, "Bears", is 3.5 years old and is beautiful, loving and determined. She spends most of her day trying to figure out how to manipulate her words so that she can get what she wants and playing in an imaginary world that only she can see. Many mornings before she comes downstairs, the princess dress-up and high heels greet me for breakfast. She is a joy and a wonderful big sister.

My son, "Bubbas", is 22 months and has bright blue eyes and a great laugh. He is also my little guy with special needs. He has over 50% developmental delay, cortical vision impairment, hearing loss and wears hearing aids, seizures, low tone and sensory issues. I have learned many things from both my children, but my son has taught me lessons on patience and not understanding more than anyone I know. He is also how I have become the "puree queen." My son won't touch any food or put it to his mouth. He also is still working on chewing and so all his foods need to be mashed and soft. I have gotten very creative on his food and have pureed everything from chicken enchiladas to french toast. He loves it and I feel good I am giving him a tasty home cooked meal.

Our family loves to camp in our 5th wheel in the mountains and the beach and my husband and I have become crossword fanatics as of late. I love photography and taking artistic shots of my children, as well as, reading. I am a bit of a book fanatic!

Deb

My name is Debie or Deb as my friend's call me. I am a stay-at-home/working mommy of two beautiful little girls. I have a busy wonderful husband that I have been married to for six years and a huge 18 pound orange tabby cat. I love to craft it up and cook and read whenever I get the chance.

My oldest daughter "Peanut" is six years old. She is such a wonderful little soul. She is sweet and caring and so patient with her busy little sister. She and I share a joy of artistic things and cooking. She is my helper and our "little mama" who loves to be involved in anything that you are doing. She is going into the first grade and also starting up her second year of soccer and Girl Scouts. The Peanut, as we have always called her, ironically, is also very allergic to those lovely legumes - just like me. This is a huge challenge when you go to school and a subject that we will be talking about as we post.

My youngest daughter "Scout" is three years old. She is our entertainer and fireball. Her big brown eyes suck you in and she loves to keep people laughing. I swear that we will be catching her somewhere on a comedy stage sometime in the future. She keeps us running and giggling pretty much all through the day. She too loves to cook and be involved in anything that mommy is doing. She is extremely little, standing at a big 31 inches. She may be little, but she sure is mighty! The Scout also has food allergies. She is highly allergic to milk and eggs which is in literally everything you buy that is processed. Another interesting challenge that will be up for post very soon - so stay tuned.

So that's the basic jist of the two of us. Here is a little interview that was conducted on the two of us to answer all of those burning questions.......

The Interview!

1. What is your favorite food?

Deb: Bean and cheese burritos and dark chocolate!

Kim: Bean and cheese burritos, of course!

2. The question had to be asked...What is your favorite cupcake?

Deb: I am sort of a traditionalist when it comes to cupcakes. I like chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and of course a cool cupcake topper!

Kim: My favorite cupcake would be party cake with Funfetti frosting. Yummy!

3. What is your favorite childhood memory with each other?

Deb: That is a loaded question. LOL. I can't pick just one! Maybe it was when we decided that we could become synchronized swimmers in Kim's dough boy pool. We thought that we could really make a career out of it. We would even put on full shows for our parents. They were so patient.

A lot of great memories that I have with Kim generally involve food. Kim's Mom used to make us "Rookie Cookie" shakes (recipe to be announced) and quesadillas! We always had doughnuts the day after Kim would spend the night which was a huge treat at our house.

Or our many nights of slumber parties and talking about boys that we thought we were in love with or how we would turn out when we grew up. Now we are here and the fun has just begun.

Kim: I have many favorites. Staying the night at Deb's house was always so much fun. For dinner, her Dad would grill up these delicious hamburgers and her mom would make the Crispers french fries. Then, after staying up all night talking about boys and other important items, we would be greeted with doughnuts that always tasted so yummy.

I also have great memories of us "studying" biology in the hammock in my backyard when we really were again...talking about boys. Then my dad, who is Mr. Science genius, would explain the concepts for us and really who I attribute our passing the class to!

We would also talk on the phone for hours! We have never in all our years of friendship seemed to have run out of stuff to talk about! I guess, now that I think of it, I have always just loved talking to Deb. She has a good ear and puts up with my nuttiness!

Another fun time we had was during Spanish class in High School. Deb had this cool Dodge Omni and a driver's license. Anyway, we had to make this video in Spanish. We were partners and eventhough I don't remember what the video's premise was, I remember a couple of things about it while we were doing it. This was 1993 and as a part of our video Deb was driving the burgandy Omni while I had my head stuck out of the window videotaping us driving by our High School. Again, this was 1993 and video cameras back then were big and heavy! I think I almost fell through the window! We had our country music blaring having a great time. Then we recorded us going through the Taco Bell drive thru ordering a Taco, all in Spanish of course. Went back to her house, I ate the taco while describing it in Spanish, got an A on the project and had a whole bunch of fun doing it!

4. What is your favorite adult memory together?

Deb: Over the last 32 years, Kim and I have had so many fun times together. Again it's hard to choose just one.

When Kim and I first went to our local community college we took a step aerobics class together that just about killed us. The teacher was a Miss Body-Builder Contestant and she thought that boot camp style was the way to go. Kim and I had the best looking abs around even if it was only for one semester.

Another great memory I have of Kim and I was at my 22nd birthday. My ol' pal Kim drove down from Sonoma and surprised me at my birthday party and we sang karaoke to Michael Jackson's "Beat It." Let's just say Kim and I are not trained singers!

The best memory I have of Kim and I was when she met her cute husband Josh. I was dating a friend of Josh's and thought it would be fun to bring Kim one night when we all went out dancing. The two of them hit it off and danced it up all night and the rest is history....she lived happily ever after!

Kim: Every month we go on a Deb and Kim date without children. We do something different every time and I have been enjoying it immensely.

But, to take it back a little bit, when Deb worked as a waitress in an Italian restaurant, I loved hanging out while she was working and then going out afterwards. We never were up to any good, but we sure did have fun while we were at it!

5. What is your favorite movie?

Deb: The Shining for sure! The Breakfast Club, Under the Tuscan Sun and anything that has John Cusack in it. Say Anything is the best!

Kim: I have several...Anne of Green Gables, Bridget Jones, any Jane Austen movie.

6. What is your favorite song?

Deb: "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison, "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC, "Hallelujah" by Kate Voegele and pretty much anything by Elvis.

Kim: Again I have several! I love "The Promise" by When In Rome, "Inerstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots, most songs by Live and of course most songs by U2.

7. What is your favorite quote?

Deb: "Well behaved women rarely make history!" and "It's the way you ride the trail that counts."

Kim: "Be Yourself, Who Else Is Better Qualified?"

8. Do you like to clean?

Deb: Clean? Um, no! I especially hate to vacuum! But I love to have a clean house and I am obsessed with cleaning products. I am looking for that miracle product but have yet to find it. You know the one, you snap your fingers and the whole house is clean and sparkling. If you find it, let me know.

Kim: Oh gosh, NO! If I never had to clean again it would make me the happiest woman in the world. Dust is my nemesis!

9. Are you a morning person or a night person?

Deb: I am a total night owl. I usually am up till at least midnight every night but with my daughter's school schedule starting back up and no more afternoon kindergarten, my day's are numbered. I do my best projects and thinking late at night.

Kim: I used to be such a morning person; I still love to be up and take a walk while the world is quiet. But, I seem to be turning into a night person. Case in point, as I am writing this, it is 2 am!

10. Where did the name Cowgirls and Cupcakes come from?

Deb: The name actually came to me in a dream and I woke up and quickly wrote it down. I loved the name because I am obsessed with cowboys and cowgirls. I must have been Annie Oakley in a past life or something. And who doesn't love cupcakes! The two names really incorporate our love for adventure and kitsch and our love of cooking!

Kim: When thinking of ideas of names for our blog, Deb said..."Wait, I have one! It came to me in a dream!" Well, I thought it was pretty cute and must have been destined to be it since it came in a dream and all! We also had a few other names as well (Deb is a genius at names by the way) and we used my husband as a tester on which he liked the best. He immediately said, "Cowgirls and Cupcakes!" and well, the rest is history.

How It All Started

2008-07-29T00:10:00.001-07:00

We met in the womb and have been best buddies ever since. Many slumber parties, adventures and craft projects later; here we are at our new blog. You may ask, "Why a blog girls?" The answer is simple: We are busy moms with two children each, husbands, a cat, a craft obsession and each have a child that requires special feeding. Our purpose is for anyone that visits our blog, to find recipes that are quick and easy and know that it will be delicious. You see, these recipes posted will be tried and true by us and eventually you. Yes, that's right! Soon we will have a place for you to leave a special recipe for others to enjoy.

We both enjoy the history behind recipes and will post the story along with the recipe whenever there is something interesting to tell. When you post your recipes, we hope you will tell us your story behind it as well. Maybe even send us a picture. We love pictures old or new!

Deb will be putting on great information on food allergies. Her tips are the best because she lives and breathes this on a daily basis with her children and herself. Kim, self proclaimed "puree queen", will share ideas on how to feed a child who cannot chew food well and only swallow. Her tips are the best as well because she has been pureeing food for her son for almost two years now. Hopefully our tips and hours of research on these issues will help make life a little bit easier for you.

Our goal is for you to enjoy and hopefully make your menu planning experience just that much easier.

Kitsch you later!

Coming Soon!

2008-07-02T18:07:00.001-07:00