Lucky Charm Squares

Just jumping on really quick to share this yummy St. Patty's Day treat.

They are yummy.
They are sugary.
They are easy.
They are easily consumed by the pan full.

And I'm pretty sure the more I eat, the more luck of the Irish I'll have…

Probably...

Pizza Dough

I have weird hopes attached to the food memories for my kids. 

Pizza is one of them. 

I imagine my kids, as adults, telling their own kids about Friday night pizza nights and whatever happy memories we've created along the way to go with them. 

I also imagine them complaining about how "Mom would never keep the recipe the same! never the same dough. never the same sauce. she'd make one that was great one week and then change it completely the next."

I have weird hopes attached to the list of complaints for my kid's therapist too.

But I'm getting of topic here…

Pizza dough, yes.. 

It's so versatile. 

Use beer, instead of water.

Add in pesto.

Throw some sun dried tomatoes paste into the mix.

Doesn't adding parmesan sound like a no brainer?

I'm getting ahead of myself here, lets just start with the basics and go from there.

'White' Chicken Chili

Let me frist start of by acknowledging that though this is a recipe based on the idea of White Chicken Chili, it's in fact not white… but wait, just listen…. I can explain…

Firstly, some recipes have pepper jack {or some other} cheese melted into it's broth, supporting the color assigned title, I don't see the necessity of it…. cheese base broth, isn't really chili now is it….

Secondly, what kind of "chili" doesn't have "chili powder" in it?
No chili I'm willing to attack my name to, I'll tell you that.

So with the darkness of the chili powder and the lightness of the base, it's pretty self explanatory for there.

Perhaps I could have taken the liberty to name it, "Slightly Off White, Not Quite Tan, With A Hue of Red, Chicken Chili", but I feel like that just doesn't roll of the tongue as well.

Cup O'Chore

A few summers ago, the kids were fighting far beyond my point of patience… I spent just as much time as they did fighting, separating them, loosing my temper, sending them to their rooms, "talking it out" about being kind, taking away privileges, reasoning with them, threatening them, and even making them sit knee-to-knee in the kitchen where they could only communicate by whispers.

Then I started to throwing chores at them.

game.changer.

And because I'm not always quick on my feet to think of what chores need to be done, the Cup O'Chores was created.

Quick Read-to-bake Bananas

This little tip, totally belongs to my friend Jess. She sent me a text with the descriptive words "mind blowing" attached and I have to agree, she's spot on.

Every time I buy a bunch of banana's… the kids always eat all but two…. then I wait, wait, wait, for these banana's to turn bake ready, drawing fruit flies all the while… once they are "perfect", I do one of two things…. use them… or throw them in the freezer to save, until I have enough banana's for whatever recipe I intend to use them for.

Then Jess, messaged me…. in turn, blowing my mind….

I feel like I'm so in love, I could scream it from the roof top… but because my only neighbor Bob is already desensitized to the ridiculous things I yell outside, I don't feel it will have been done the justice it deserves… nor do I get that "baker" vibe from Bob…

So instead, I will "scream" it from here…

Coconut Oil, Honey, Banana Bread

I don't bake well, so when I do bake and have something that turns out good, it's worth a stop and pause. 

This bread....worth a stop and pause. 

And in your case, worth giving it a go, too. 

Brown Sugar Bacon Smokies

I'm not sure I've ever brought these to a get together, provided them during a football game, or offered a plate during a BBQ that I've heard a complaint about their presents yet… or for that matter, lasted very long at all.

I love them because they are so easy and delicious… Nate loves them because they "man friendly" …

My first problem with them, is that they are double the protein, therefor you are able to pile in twice as many, before realizing you would have been sufficiently happier with a fourth of the amount consumed.

My second problem with them, is that for as easy as they are to make, I never think to make them…

Now that they are blog official, I hope they become one of my top 'go-to's… which I'm pretty sure they will…