Macaroni & cheese (Mug)

Are you craving  creamy delicious mac and cheese? I hope so. If you're not, you will be so, look no further. This super simple microwave friendly side will make your belly happy! 

While surfing Pinterest, I read lots of posts for micro friendly macaroni... I'd like to share my take on this quick, creamy comfort food with you.  

Macaroni & Cheese (Mug)

What you'll need:

6 minutes

1/3 cup elbows

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

garlic salt -to taste

pepper -to taste

onion salt -to taste

*recipe yields about a 1/2 cup of mac and cheese. If you want more, just double up.

Instructions:

• place elbows and water into a microwave safe mug. (or bowl)
• place in microwave on high setting for two minutes
• remove stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes (1 or 2 more minutes may be needed for all water to absorb)
• while elbows are cooking combine cheese, half and half and seasoning in a small bowl. Mix well.
• Once all water has been absorbed  into pasta, add creamy mixture and microwave on high for one minute.
• Remove, stir and Enjoy!!! This mac and cheese is sure to please! (ha, corny right? nah, cheeeeesy!)

That's my 2 cents!

-Kimba

SOUP SERIES : Spicy chicken and potato

Hello Friends,

How has the first week of fall been to you? It's been a bit rainy here in Boston. That's alright with me. Rain causes me to slow down, take time to think, relax and COOK!!! Yes, so whilst thinking I decided to begin a soup series. Which led me to cook. Heheheh.

For the first soup recipe in the series we're looking at a delish, filling, flavorful spicy chicken and potato soup.

 This recipe is super simple. Especially since I'm starting with canned broth.

What you'll need:

one 3 lb can of chicken broth

3 green onions

1/4 small white onion diced

4 medium sized potatoes (peeled and diced into bite sized pieces)

half a  red pepper diced

half a green pepper diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1+1/2 cups cooked chicken meat shredded

Goya Sazon seasoning packet

 (recipe feeds 4 greedy people)

Instructions:

• Empty can of broth into a medium stock pot, bring your broth to a boil.
• While waiting for broth to boil, peel and dice potatoes.
• Once broth has boiled add packet of Goya seasoning.

• mix seasoning into broth with a large spoon, then add potatoes, green onions, onion,  peppers and red pepper flakes.

• Bring back to a boil, add chicken, cover, lower heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Your potatoes will be tender, chicken will stay moist and your soup will be full of flavor.

Nothing like homemade soup. It beats the canned stuff every time ;-)

ENJOY!!!! 

That's my 2 cents!

-Kimba

Pretty Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

An excerpt from  "Merry Autumn" By: Paul Laurence Dunbar

The earth is just so full of fun
It really can't contain it;
And streams of mirth so freely run
The heavens seem to rain it.

Don't talk to me of solemn days
In autumn's time of splendor,
Because the sun shows fewer rays,
And these grow slant and slender.

Why, it's the climax of the year,—
The highest time of living!—
Till naturally its bursting cheer
Just melts into thanksgiving.

Happy Saturday,

Fall is here HOORAY!!! Anyone who knows me well, knows I really like fall and I really love cupcakes!!   Today's post combines  two of my favs into a delicious treat!! Pretty Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes... With it being the first day of fall and all, I'm really excited to share this recipe with you.

No, your eyes are not fooling you. 

The cupcake is filled with pumpkin pie!

What you'll need:

For cake:
3 cups Softasilk cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1+1/2 sticks of butter

For pie:
One 15oz can pumpkin pie filling
2 eggs slightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk

For frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp evaporated milk
Heaping tbsp of pumpkin puree

Recipe Yields 18 cupcakes

Pie instructions:

• Follow instructions on your favorite pumpkin pie mix for baking  pie. Typically it's one can of pie mix, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup evaporated milk. Once you've mixed the ingredients together, spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and fill with mixture. Bake according to instructions. (usually 450 for 15 minutes then 350 for 30-40) remove and cool. Once cooled, slice into 1-1 1/2 inch chunks. The chunks will be used to fill your cupcakes! YUM

Your chunks should look like this.

 Cake instructions:

• Oven should be preheated to 350

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together.

• In a separate bowl mix baking powder, baking soda and salt together with cake  flour

• Add eggs one at a time to sugar and butter mixture. Mixing well after each egg is added. 

• Stir in milk and cake flour. Alternating what you add. First flour then milk then flour then milk. ( until all cake flour has been added) Mix well
• once cake batter is fluffy add vanilla beans ( or vanilla extract)

To assemble cupcakes for baking:

• fill cupcake pan with liners. 
• Using a 1/8 measuring cup, fill liner with batter.

Take your chunks of pie and place in the middle of batter... Then cover with another 1/8 cup.

     

• Bake until firm and edges are golden. (aprox. 20 minutes)
• Allow cupcakes to cool fully before attempting to frost.

Frosting instructions:

• In a large mixing bowl cream 1/2 stick of room temp butter
• add sugar by the half cup, mixing well
• once all sugar has been added, add pumpkin puree ( this will give your frosting a nice tint and light flavor.)
• to frost, simply fill Ziploc bag with frosting and snip off corner. Frosting will glide smoothly out allowing you to frost your cupcakes in whatever manner you'd like. ( You can always just smear the frosting on too still yummy) 
• Use leftover pieces of pie to adorn the top of your cupcakes.

NOTE: If you'd prefer vanilla frosting, just add 1 tsp of vanilla extract and skip the pumpkin puree.

Thanks for stopping along on the fall crawl! I hope you've enjoyed ;-)

Make sure you check out all of the awesome, creative, seasonal crafts
that have been shared along the way!! 

That's my 2 cents!

-Kimba

Cilantro and Garlic Grilled Shrimp

Cilantro and Garlic Grilled Shrimp

Hungry? I know you are. Thanks for stopping in to check out my latest recipe. This cilantro and garlic grilled shrimp is flavorful and luscious. So quick, so simple, you can't pass up trying this recipe. Top your salad or steak with it, serve as an entree with lots of veggies on the side, or stick em' with toothpicks and serve as  hors d'oeuvres. Whatever you plan to do with these shrimp, they are sure to please!!

What you'll need:

shrimp ( I used just under a half lb)

1/2 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

5 or 6 stems of fresh cilantro diced 

a grill pan or grill (stir fry pan or wok will also work)

large bowl

Instructions:

• Peel, de-vein, and rinse your shrimp
•  in a large bowl drizzle oil over shrimp
• add garlic and cilantro
• mix well
• heat your grill pan or wok (or toss on skewers and place on grill)

• cook until pink. DON'T overcook your shrimp.  No one likes rubbery shrimp. (maybe your dog will)
• remove from heat and ENJOY!!!! 

That's my 2 cents!


-Kimba

Scrambled Eggs and Biscuit Bake

Scrambled Eggs and Biscuit Bake

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. Why not savor it... This morning I baked scrambled eggs, veggies, cheese, and biscuit mix. The result was amazing. Keep reading if you'd like the recipe and simple instructions!! 

What you'll need:

1 cup Jiffy Baking Mix

1/3 cup 1% milk

2 tbsp shredded Parmesan 

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 diced peppers(red or green)

4 eggs

onion salt -to taste

black pepper- to taste

cooking spray

Instructions:

• In a mixing bowl, blend 1 cup of Jiffy mix with 1/3 cup milk. Stir until a lumpy dough is formed. 
• In a second  mixing bowl, crack 4 eggs and scramble lightly with fork. Add onion salt and pepper to taste.
•  Heat a small pan with cooking spray and saute  diced onions and peppers. 
•  Add peppers ,onions, and 1 tbsp of Parmesan to scrambled eggs.  blend. 

• Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in egg mixture. Take spoonfuls of biscuit mix and drop into eggs. Top with remaining  Parmesan cheese. 
•  Bake at 450 for 20 minutes.  Serve with one cup of fruit ENJOY!!

That's my 2 cents!

-Kimba