Grammy's Delicious Fruit Dip

{This recipe is from Ica's Grammy. Somehow I ended up with the recipe in my collection and I've had a few requests to post it. So here it is! It is easy, delicious with healthy fruit... mmm... perfect for spring! P.S. this recipe makes quite a bit of dip.}

{ingredients}
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
8 oz Cream cheese
1 c. Powdered sugar
12 oz Whipped topping
3 c. Strawberry yogurt.

{directions}
1. mix all ingredients together until smooth and serve with fruit of your choice.

Seeing Green!

{I know... its the end of April... and the St. Patty's day Craze is long since past. but the green party was so much fun for me that I can't let it go without a little attention... So here goes! The best kept secrets of my green day! and pictures to share!}

{My day started off fine enough. Excited about throwing a hit party, and putting a few recipes together for the shindig. However, somehow a leprechaun snuck into my little home to cause chaos in my kitchen... It all started with homemade bread that went awry during the process...}



Not to be deterred, I gave one loaf to my mother... (pay back for those hot dog buns...) It was rather tasty if I do say so myself. Still the party turned out well. We ate delicious food and spent the evening laughing with friends as good as gold! Thanks to all who helped and joined in! Now, without further ado, the secret ingredients to my "green" party.


*This post it brought to you by the ingredient: green food coloring. None of this would be possible without you! Thank You*






{Tortellini and Alfredo sauce{a favorite green dish is pasta. Easy and easily "greened".}

{ingredients}
1 pkg Tortellini {I got one at Costco for the party}
2 bottles of Alfredo sauce {I had a bottle of Ragu and one Bertolli and combined them}
green food coloring

{directions}
1. Add food coloring to pasta water, bring to a boil, add pasta.
2. Boil until al dente and drain. {During the cooking period the pasta soaks in some of the green dye in the water and will come out a beautiful green.}
3.warm the Alfredo and add a few spices to taste
4. Add a couple drops of {my favorite St. Patrick's day ingredient} the green food coloring until color desired.
5.Lightly toss together and viola! a delicious little appetizer, side dish, or entree



{Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad}
{you can't really tell in this picture... but the noodles turned out to be a really neat army green color... almost like I planned it (or bought it to be that color) to turn out like that...}

{sorry all... I don't remember where I got this recipe... but it honestly wasn't a favorite of mine and I can't find it anyway. So you'll have to live with a picture for now... I'll see if I can find a better one.}

{Taste the Rainbow Platter!} {my favorite part of the night! I admit, I feel pretty smart for thinking this one up!}

{ingredients}
Red: Strawberries, watermelon, raspberries {we used strawberries}
Orange: Mango, oranges, {we used the most delicious mango...}
Yellow: pineapple, banana
Green: kiwi, green grapes, {we used kiwi because they work really well on fruit pizzas and we were using grapes for purple}
Blue: blueberries {forgot to get them, so our rainbow is missing the blue...}
Indigo: {good luck!}
Violet: purple grapes, black berries

{directions}
1. Cut fruit and arrange in a rainbow pattern on tray and serve! {pretty simple...}

{Fruit Pizzas}{we made these upon special request of my home teacher. We thought they would be an excellent extension of the fruit tray as the guests could choose what fruit they want on their pizzas. It was a hit!}
{ingredients}
sugar cookie dough {we just used the pre-made, pre-cut dough you can buy. We were going for simple at that point...}
8 oz cream cheese- softened
8 oz whipped topping- thawed {we didn't measure... just until its the consistency you like it. We didn't use the whole 8 oz...}

{directions}
1. Bake cookie dough according to the directions.
2. Mix cream cheese and whipped topping together until smooth. {to turn it green, just add the secret ingredient of the day!}
2. Spread some of the mixture on a cookie, add whatever fruit you like, consume, and repeat.


{Guacamole} {I got this recipe from a young women's leader while I was still a Laurel. I use it all the time! P.S. I double the recipe because it always goes faster than I think it will!}
{ingredients}
1 large avocado- cut in half, scooped and keep the pit {good tip*if you put the pit in the middle of the guacamole (as seen in picture above) it keeps it from browning to quickly}
1 small spoonful of mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, or sour cream {I usually use sour cream because I am not a fan of Miracle Whip, but it depends on your taste}
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 spoonful of salsa {depending on the salsa used, you may need more, just add to taste}
Garlic salt to taste {from my experience, you don't need too much...}

{really, all the measurements are based on taste. find what you like best. Start small and go from there.}

{directions}
1. smash avocado with fork; add lemon juice and mix.
2. Add mayo and salsa and mix.
3. Sprinkle with garlic salt to reach the flavor you like.

{can add grated cheese and/or diced tomatoes to garnish.}


the after party... fun, fun... :)

Yummy Strawberries!

So Easy!

Mix:
2 - 8 oz. pkgs. softened cream cheese
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Strawberries
Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (melted)

Optional: chopped pecans or almonds, crushed Oreos, toffee bars, mints, etc.

Slice off stem.

(A straight cut will make it easier
to stand berries on tray)

At tip, make a criss-cross cut leaving the end very attached.



Pipe cream cheese mixture in through the cut. Melt chocolate and drizzle on over top. Sprinkle with favorite goodies!



I did these with my grandchildren and they had a great time! (Pictures of the process can be see on Mom's Thoughts)

Marian's Drop Donuts

This recipe of Marian's tastes wonderful! But best of all, they're easy to do! A great recipe to do with kids.

2 -1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 -1/2 c. sour cream
2 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
oil for frying
powdered sugar

Combine ingredients (batter will be sticky). Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil; fry, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Coat with powdered sugar.


NOTE: Be sure the donuts are done all the way through before you take them out of the oil. They can appear done but still be doughy inside.

Sunshine Cake

If you like pineapple, then you will love this cake--and so easy to make. This could be something you could stock the ingredients for in your food storage. (there are powdered eggs and a powdered dairy topping that would work)

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, undrained

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

I used a bigger can and used half for the cake and half for the topping (I think it was 20 oz.)

2 large eggs

Vanilla pineapple topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Add oranges, pineapple, and eggs; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool completely.

Spread vanilla pineapple topping evenly over cake. Garnish with mandarin oranges, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Vanilla Pineapple Topping

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple undrained

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 (12 ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed

In a medium bowl, combine pineapple and pudding mix, stirring well. Stir in whipped topping. Spread on cooled cake

Favorite Freezer Tip: Cookie Dough

Favorite Freezer Thing #2

Frozen Cookie Dough

The other night our teenage son stayed home and "hung out" with mom and dad. We watched a couple of our favorite TV shows together. (yeah DVR) This does not happen very often so I thought I should do something so that he wouldn't wish he was with his friends. Thus FFT #2 saved the day. We were able to have warm chocolate chip cookies and milk while we watched TV. (surely that's better than friends!!)

Next time you make your favorite cookies, consider freezing some of the dough. Once you have cooked the amount you want to share with your family, scoop the rest of the dough onto a cookie sheet. These can be close together. Stick the cookie sheet in the freezer for

a couple of hours, then take your ready to bake cookies and put them all in a freezer bag. Now you can take out a few at a time to bake so that you can have fresh warm cookies whenever you want. (I guess you could cook just 2 for yourself while your kids are at school, if you're having a bad day)

When I want to cook some, I put them on a cookie sheet and let them sit for about a half hour and warm up my oven. (you will want to write on the bag, the instructions for cooking)

Here are our cookies ready to bake!