Homemade Fudge Sauce, Peanut Butter, & Banana Milkshake

So Pregnancy does crazy things to you!  Besides what it does to your body, it sometimes causes you to crave the most outrageous things!  For example, I had a craving for chocolate, spaghetti, coconut chicken tenders (which you saw yesterday) and peanut butter all at the same time :)  So needless to say you will be seeing some new recipes over the next week! 

So I wanted to recreate a recipe that I absolutely Loved when I was younger.  Lets just say that only half of the dessert turned out the way that I wanted it to and the other half was a complete failure :(  So, I will just share part of the recipe with you and save the rest of it for another day when it actually turns out! 

Not only am I sharing the milkshake recipe with you but I will be sharing my sister-in-laws AMAZING recipe for homemade fudge sauce (which I used in my milkshake. Pure Heaven!)

Recipe:

For the Homemade Fudge:

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 wrapped square of Bakers unsweetened chocolate (if you don't have Bakers chocolate on hand you can use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1 stick Butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, turn the heat off and immediately stir in the chocolate till it melts.  Then stir in the sweetened condensed milk till it is all well combined.  Serve over anything :) Seriously!

Recipe:

For the Milkshake:

1 Pint of Vanilla ice cream

1 medium banana (sliced)

1-1/2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

4-5 Tbsp. Homemade Fudge

Milk (I used about 1/4 cup to get the consistency I wanted but you could use less or more depending on the texture that you like)

Mix all the above ingredients together in a blender till smooth. Makes 2 milkshakes. 

*I just realized that I forgot to share with you all that we will be expecting another...
Due the middle of May! We couldn't be more excited!!!

Recipe Source: Fudge Sauce-My sister in law Kim, Milkshake-Me

Raspberry & Strawberry Jam

Wow, I feel like I have majorly fallen off this blogging bandwagon!  I have tried to always be consistent with daily updates Monday-Friday but life lately has gotten the best of me! I have a beautiful and VERY spunky almost 2 year old that, well, is growing up way to fast and I don't want to miss a beat!  

We also took a little trip up to Dallas this past couple of days because my husband thinks that that is where we will be spending the next 8 months of our lives!  Gotta love this job and all of its moving :)  No really, I can't complain because The Hubs works VERY hard and has a GREAT job that provides for our family and allows us to experience and see so many different parts of this country. We really are blessed to even have a job right now in todays economy, so I won't complain how this time, we really aren't moving back to Utah in the off season of his job :(  Wherever we move next whether it be Dallas or stay here in Houston, I know we will be fine and have many adventures in that city :)  Now on to this Ridicoulosly easy recipe! One that my mother and mother-in-law have been making forever!

Recipe:

2 cups crushed raspberry (strained, to remove most of the seeds)

2 cups strawberries (blended. I used a frozen bag of strawberries) 

3 1/2 cups Sugar 

1 (1.75oz) box Fruit Pectin ( I used Sure-Jell brand)

1 cup Water

Using a potato masher, mash up your raspberries, than using a sieve, press the raspberries through the sieve to remove any seeds.  Set aside 2 cups of strained, crushed raspberries (about 1 1/2-2 pints).  

Next, hull your strawberries, or if your using frozen berries they should already be hulled for you, place them into a blender and pulse to chop, DO NOT puree, you want your jam to have bits of fruit.

Measure 2 cups of chopped strawberries and add to the measured raspberries.  Place the sugar into a large saucepan (make sure to use exact amount and NO sugar substitutes to avoid set failure).  Add in the pectin and stir till well combined.  Stir in 1 cup of water and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring CONSTANTLY.  Boil and stir for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

Stir fruit quickly into the sugar mixture and stir 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed. Pour into prepared freezer jars and leave about 1/2 inch space at top of the jars for the jam to expand in the freezer.  Let the jam sit at room temperature for 24 hours before refrigerating or freezing.  Last up to 3 weeks in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer.  Enjoy on toast, rolls, inside crepes (our personal favorite) or by the spoonfuls :)

(Recipe Source: My Mother)

Blueberry Pancakes w/a Buttermilk Syrup

Ok so we actually made these Blueberry Pancakes last weekend and I am thinking I may just make these again this weekend!  They are so good!  I mean, eat the whole stack, and maybe a few more pancakes, good!  When I came across this Buttermilk Pancake recipe, I was excited to try it because it specifically stated that this was not one of those pancakes that is just going to soak up all of the syrup and become soggy immediately, and I can 100% agree with that!

These pancakes were super fluffy and tasted like you had gotten them in a really good diner somewhere. I added Blueberries to the batter to make them blueberry pancakes and they were a huge hit in our home!  And this syrup, well, I like to call it Crack Syrup! It is so addicting and delicious that it will have you coming back for more! 

Recipe:

For the Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes:
2 cups Flour
5 Tbsp. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups Buttermilk
3 Tbsp. unsalted Butter (melted)
1 egg
1 cup Blueberries (I used Fresh blueberries, but you can use frozen ones also)
Oil for cooking the pancakes

Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Then in a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is slightly lumpy.  Then fold in the 1 cup of blueberries

Heat a griddle or large saute pan to medium heat or *300 on a griddle, and lightly oil the surface between each pancake.  Cook until both sides are lightly browned.   (You can turn your oven to *200 and place the already made pancakes in there to keep them warm till you are ready to serve)

For the Buttermilk Syrup "aka Crack Syrup":
1/2 cups unsalted Butter (1 stick)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 Tbsp. White Karo Syrup
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Vanilla

Bring the butter, buttermilk, sugar, and karo syrup to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Then add in the baking soda and vanilla. (NOTE: the mixture will fizz up to 2 times it's size so make sure you use a large enough bowl) Remove immediately from heat and set aside for a few minutes stirring occasionally.  Syrup will thicken more as it sits.  Store remaining syrup in the refridgerater for up to a week and a half.

Recipe Source: Both from Tasty Kitchen, Syrup & Pancake recipe found here)

The Best Sweet & Sour Chicken Ever

Seriously, the title says it all!  This sweet and sour chicken tastes like you got it straight out of a Chinese Restaurant and it was super easy to make!  To be honest, I wasn't even planning on making dinner last night, and decided at the last minute that "Ok, I guess cereal isn't going to fill up the hubs for dinner tonight!" so I whipped up a dish of this deliciousness and we were in chinese heaven!  From the amazingly breaded chicken to the mouth watering sauce, really this dish is a must make, on a regular basis, if you ask me!

Oh and Ham-A-Rama week finally came to an end today, when the 10 pounder finally had nothing left to give :( We ended the crazy week with a lovely ham and cheese omelet for breakfast that I sadly forgot to take a picture of.  Hope you all enjoyed all the ham recipes.  Now on to the star of the show,

Sweet and Sour Chicken!

Recipe:

For the Chicken:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup Cornstarch

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

salt and pepper (to season the chicken with)

1/4 cup Oil for frying ( I used Peanut Oil )

For the Sauce:

3/4 cup Sugar

4 Tbsp. Ketchup

1/2 cup Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Next dip the chicken in to the cornstarch then into the egg mixture.  Place into a large skillet with the heated oil and cook the chicken till lightly browned, but not cooked through all the way. 

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce together.  Now place the chicken into a baking dish (9x13) in a single layer, and pour the sauce mixture over the top.  Bake @ *350 for 45 minutes; 

rotating the chicken every 15 minutes.  We like things extra saucy, so we just made up another batch of sauce and simmered over low-medium heat for 6-8 minutes.  Serve over rice or noodles.  

(Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe via Tasty Kitchen)

Leftover Pot Roast Sandwiches

Every Sunday, over at my in-laws house, we have the most amazing pot roast for dinner.  My husband and I look forward to Sunday meals all week knowing that we will be having this delicious meal.  Some people may think that is weird that every Sunday you have the same thing, but not us!  Delicious roast, yummiest mashed potatoes, green salad, and homemade rolls; now who wouldn't want that every week! So if any of you are making roasts for dinner this weekend be sure to keep this recipe in mind. You won't be disappointed!

Recipe:

Leftover roast from the day before (shredded)

4 sub rolls

4 slices of either provolone or havarti cheese

few slices of red onion

Mayo 

Yellow Mustard

Homemade Aus Jus:

1 cup pan drippings from the pot roast dinner

1 cup beef stock

1 Tbsp. onion seasonings (I use the Lipton onion soup packets)

2 Tbsp. butter

For the Aus Jus, bring all ingredients above to a boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and drizzle a little bit of aus jus over your shredded meat.  Pour the remaining Aus Jus into individual serving dishes for dipping.  

For the Sandwiches, slice sub roll in half.  Lightly butter either side of the sub roll.  Place a generous amount of the meat onto each roll.  Top with one slice of cheese or if your crazy like me you'll throw on 2 :)   Place the loaded rolls onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler till the cheese is melted.  Top of with a little mayo, mustard and a few thin slices of onion. 

Slow Cooker Ribs

The hubs absolutely loves these boneless ribs, and I love them not only because they taste so good but because they are so easy to make.  Seriously, is it just me or do you all love a meal that cooks itself?! I love when i can just throw everything into one pot in the morning, clean the house (well attempt to clean), run some errands, then come home dish it up and the family thinks you've slaved for hours! Gotta love the crock pot! 

Recipe:

1 1/2 pounds Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs

Salt and Pepper 

Pinch of Garlic Salt

Homemade BBQ Sauce:

1 cup Brown Sugar

3/4 cup Ketchup

1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon)

1/2 tsp. Worchestshire Sauce 

1/4 tsp Hot Sauce (Tabasco or whatever you have on hand works great)

1.Season the ribs well with the salt and pepper on both sides. Sprinkle the garlic salt lightly also on both sides. Lightly brown the ribs in a saute pan over low-med heat before placing in the crock pot. 

2.Next, mix together all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce. Place the ribs into the crock pot and pour the sauce over the top of them. Turn the crock pot to low and cook for 6-8 hours. 

3. Serve with mashed potatoes and country gravy and either a green salad or choice of veggie. 

(Recipe Source: My Own)

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Quesadilla

So my husband and I love BBQ Chicken Quesadillas but when I came across this recipe for an amazing hot sauce we had to give it a try in our quesadilla's and let me tell you were they a hit or what! Give them a try I'm sure you'll love em! This dish is perfect for an appetizer at a party or a get together like the Super Bowl thats this coming Sunday.

Recipe:
For the Sauce:
1 cup Franks Hot Sauce
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. Honey

For the quesadilla:
2-3 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
2 green onions (diced)(optional)
1 4oz can diced green chilis (optional)
1-2 roma tomatos (diced)(optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese of choice (we prefer cheddar or monterey jack)
8 Burrito sized tortillas

Heat a griddle or skillet to medium heat. Take 1/4 cup of sauce and mix in with the shredded chicken. (You can always add more if you would like) Next, spray cooking side of tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese on tortilla, then layer the chicken, onions, green chili's, and tomatoes and top with other tortilla. Lightly spray top of that tortilla also to help with the cooking process. When finished, slice into 4 parts and serve with sour cream and salsa. (Note- the sauce makes quite a bit, so if your only planning on using it for this recipe I would suggest cutting it in half. We like to use the leftovers for breaded chicken breasts or chicken wings)