The southern plate

I just found this awesome webiste today and i wanted to share it with everyone. It is called the southern plate. It has some yummy looking recipes on it. I cant wait to try some !!!
http://www.southernplate.com/index

Good and easy cake

Good -N- Easy Cake- from the southern plate

1 Box White Cake Mix

3 Eggs

1 can Apple Pie Filling

1 Cup Chopped Nuts

Pour apple pie filling out onto a large plate and coarsely chop it up a bit with a knife. Place in mixing bowl and add all other ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased 9×13″ pan.

Topping:

1/2 C Plain Flour

1/2 C White sugar

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 Cup Softened Margarine or Butter

Mix all topping ingredients well with fork and sprinkle over top of cake before baking.

Bake cake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Serve warm with homemade whipped cream on top (or store bought if you prefer!).

Homemade Whipped Cream

1 - 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

2-4 Tablespoons sugar

Place cream in chilled mixing bowl and add sugar to taste. I suggest starting with two tablespoons because you can always add more later. Mix on high for about one minute, until soft peaks and ripples form. Serve over warm cake (don’t forget to lick the bowl!)

Homemade whipped cream stores well in refrigerator for several days.

strawberry-ade

I got this recipe from the southern plate

Fresh Strawberry-ade

• 16 ounces fresh strawberries
• 1 Tub Crystal Light Pink Lemonade

Wash and remove tops from strawberries. Place in blender and puree until fully liquefied. Fill two quart pitcher halfway with water. Stir in drink mix. Add strawberry puree and fill the rest of the way with cold water. Stir well. If strawberries aren’t sweet enough, you can add ¼ a cup of Splenda or to taste. I’ve never had to add Splenda!

Serve cold, over ice.

Been gone

So it has been a few days since i have written anything. We were out of town for a few days. We went to salem to my brothers house and took Kendra to the childrens museum in portland. She had alot of fun there. It was a pretty neat place. We also took her to the osborn aquatic center in corvallis.My cousin Kaley is a life guard there so she told us to come check it out. Kendra is such a water dog ! She went down the huge water slide with daddy a few times.

Blackberry festival cobbler

Blackberry cobbler - This recipe is from the blackberry arts festival here in coos bay.

4 cups blackberries frozen or fresh
1cup sugar
1T. flour
1T. cornstarch

Topping: 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup butter (2 sticks), 1/2 t nutmeg, 1 t cinnamon, 1 cup oatmeal mix well sprinkle on top of blackberry mixture. Bake 350 for 35 to 45 minutes

Taco soup and Lasagna soup

TACO SOUP

2 LBS GROUND BEEF

1 ONION DICED

1 PKG TACO SEASONING

1 PKG RANCH DIP MIX

2 CANS CORN - UNDRAINED

1 SM CAN DICED GREEN CHILES - I LEAVE THESE OUT

4 CANS STEWED TOMATOES - UNDRAINED

1 CAN KIDNEY BEANS UNDRAINED

1 CAN PINTO BEANS UDRAINED

I LIKE TO GRATE CHEESE AND PUT ON MY AND GARNISH WITH A LITTLE SOUR CREAM AND CRUNCHED UP TORTILLA CHIPS IN A LG SKILETT BROWN BEEF AND ONION AND DRAIN. IN YOUR CROCKPOT DUMP ALL THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS INCLUDING THE JUICE OUT OF THE BEAN AND VEGGIE CANS. ADD GROUND BEEF AND ONION MIXTURE COOK ON LOW ALL DAY

LASAGNA SOUP

1 pd ground beef

1/2 pd bulk italian sausage

1 sm diced onion

2 c small pasta

1 28 oz can tomato soup

6 tbls grated parmesan cheese

3/4 c water

1 sm tub small curd cottage cheese

1 tbls itailian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

1 c diced canned tomatoes undrained

In a large stock pot brown the beef and sausage and onion. Drain the grease. In a seperate pot cook the pasta according to directions on its package. Drain and add to stock pot with the beef mixture in it. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until heated through. I like to serve with some grated parmesan cheese on top and some yummy croutons ...

Cream Cheese ranch bread

CREAM CHEESE RANCH BREAD

2 loaves french bread

8 oz pkg cream cheese softened

1 pkg hidden valley ranch dressing mix

olives,grated cheese and green onions

Cut the french bread down the center. In a bowl mix together the softened cream cheese and the dry ranch packet. Spread mixture on the bread and top bread with cheese,sliced olives and green onions. Cook bread until done

Crispy pretzel bars

Crispy pretzel bars - taste of home

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 c peanut butter
5 cups rice krispies
2 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup plain m&m's

I a large microwaveable safe bowl combine the sugar and corn syrup. Microwave on high for 2 mins or until sugar is dissolved. stir in peanut butter until blended. Add the cereal,pretzels and M&M's. stir until coated. press into a greases 15x10x1 pan cut into bars.

S'mores bars

S'mores bars -from taste of home magazine

8 to 10 whole graham crackers
1 pkg family size fudge brownie mix
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped peanuts

~ Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greases 13x9 baking pan. Prepare the brownies as directed on package. Spread over the graham crackers

~ Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins . Sprinkle with marshmallows,chocolate chips and peanuts. Bake another 5 mins. Let cool on rack before cutting

The dinner struggle

So i always struggle on what to cook for dinner each night. I get tired of making the same old things like tacos,spaghetti or chicken. Now i will never have to struggle again on what to cook thanks to this awesome website i came across. It has very good recipes in it that i am gonna try out. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/ . I hope you all can find this website as useful as i am going to.

My first diaper cake

So a few months ago i attended my friend Amanda's baby shower. I didn't want to get her just an ordinary gift so i decided to attempt to make a diaper cake. I was pretty easy to do and i had fun making it.

The quilt

Yesterday I received a very special gift from a great friend Andrea. She made me a gorgeous quilt. I really really love it. I met Andrea in an online group that i belong to called the sisterhood. I have been in the group about 2 years now and have made some really great friends. Most of us live half way across the country from each other but it is still so nice to have these women to talk to. The founder of the group lives here in oregon and i will meet her someday soon =) All of us group members sent fabric to Andrea and she made quilt for each of us out of everyone's material. After everyone gets their quilts i will post a pic of mine. So i don't spoil it for the others that haven't seen theirs yet. If you ever want a really great quily made you should look Andrea up =) She has her own online shop at etsy.

Preschool

Well it is almost that time of year again when the kids start school. I am happy to say that this year little miss Kendra will go to school as well. She is enrolled in the 3 year old preschool class. She has been begging me forever to go to school. I really think that she will enjoy it. She already knows her ABC's and shapes and colors and can count to 20. So she should do just fine.She starts sept 15th and will go 2 days a week for 2.5 hours. I sure hope that she doesnt get kicked out lol. That would be so embarassing. She is a good kid for the most part. This will be her first time away from momma other than when she gets watched by family. I am a little scared but excited too. I will keep you all updated on her school progress.

Here it goes

So i have decided to take the plunge and start a blog. Not sure if i will keep it up daily but will try to post at least once a week.I think that this could be a fun thing for me. I will blog about all different things just so i don't bore you =)