Luck 'o the Irish--a Treat for St. Patrick's Day

My girls love any reason to celebrate ANYTHING, so in the spirit of fun, I recently tested out this new recipe for St. Patrick's Day.  I'd never done anything outside of green "leprauchaun" milk in their cereal on March 17th, so these little bites were a great find.  Plus, they were from one of my Allrecipes acquaintances--Elizabeth made these with her Irish grandmother.  Aren't they cute?

 

Here's how you make them.  Find the recipe here on Allrecipes:

 

Grandma Mottle's Blarney Stones

 

Ingredients:

2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup milk, or as needed 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups dry roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped 1 pound cake, cut into bize-size cubes

 

Directions:

1.	Pour confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture has a thin frosting consistency; whisk in vanilla extract.
2.	Place chopped peanuts in a bowl. Line a flat surface or a plate with waxed paper.
3.	Dip 1 pound cake cube in frosting and roll cube in peanuts; place on wax paper to dry. Repeat with remaining pound cake pieces. I used salted dry roasted peanuts, and the delicious combination of the cake, glaze, and saltiness might make your little leprechauns want to kiss you afterward!

 

After School Sweet & Salty Snack

When my oldest gets home from school at 4:30, she's normally starving.  I'm always looking for fun and wholesome snacks to tide her over until dinner.  This one is GREAT!  My youngest and I made it together and it took no time at all.  It's sweet, salty, and full of everything we snack on anyway!
Recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Popcorn & Pretzel Sweet Snack Mix

Ingredients:

Original recipe makes 6 servings       

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

• Reynolds® Parchment Paper                                                                     
• 1 (2.9 ounce) bag microwave low-fat popcorn                                                                     
• 2 cups mini pretzels                                                                     
• 1 cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds     
• 1 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries                                                                     
• 1 (12 ounce) package premium white baking morsels (chips)                                                                     
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Line a 15 1/2x10x1-inch baking pan or large tray with a sheet of Reynolds® Parchment Paper; set aside.
2. Pop popcorn according to package directions; shake bag so that un-popped kernels fall to the bottom.
3. Pour popcorn, pretzels, almonds and dried cranberries into large bowl. Discard un-popped popcorn kernels.
4. Melt white morsels according to package directions. Stir in cinnamon; pour over popcorn and pretzels. Toss to evenly coat.
5. Spread evenly on parchment lined tray. Let set to harden, about 1 hour. Break apart large pieces. Store in airtight container.

 

 

Using Reynolds parchment paper makes cleanup a breeze!  It can also be used to serve it for parties or groups.  Cut it into squares and fold it into serving cups and you have an easy & portable hand-held container. I love parchment and keep it on hand at all times for baking cookies, roasting vegetables, and serving baked goods.

 

I can envision my middle-schooler and her friends devouring this recipe in 10 seconds flat! 

 

 

 

 

Let's Eat Better for Spring--Two Easy, Fresh Weeknight Dinners

It FINALLY feels like Spring in NC!  After a winter of roller-coaster weather, 65 degrees and Sunny is a welcomed change.  Flowers will be blooming soon, the birds are already chirping, and it's time to slim down my family menus. 

This month, as an Allrecipes Allstar, I worked with Mazola corn oil to create two of their heart-healthy recipes. Find out more of Mazola's clinical study findings here:  http://www.mazola.com/products/corn-oil

 

 

 

Eating well has always been a priority for me, and I've strived to prepare clean and healthy meals that my family will enjoy.  My husband is an avid marathon runner and works out every day. My oldest girl also runs, and my tiny girl is a constant bundle of energy--if she's up, she is MOVING!  Beat the what's for dinner blues by choosing one of these recipes instead of convenient frozen pizza for your next weeknight meal, and it won't slow you or your family down.

 

First is a fantastic salmon that's coated with a sweet & spicy rub that includes paprika, brown sugar, and a few other ingredients.  Topped with a grapefruit salsa, it is a super-fresh way to boost your omega-3 intake.  Almost everything can be prepared ahead of time, and the salmon only takes 15 minutes to cook.  My husband and I loved this and I'll definitely make it again!

 

 Get this recipe here

 

 

Next is a recipe that slims down Mexican fare.  If you've ever wanted an authentic Mexican street taco, try this recipe.  You may choose to add more toppings, but as-is, I enjoyed them with a squirt of fresh lime juice.  It's so fresh topped with raw veggie salsa, and again the pork and salsa can be prepared ahead of time so all you have to do is heat and eat!

 

 

 

Get this recipe here

 

 

 

Taking care of our hearts can be delicious!

 

 

 



Kahlúa Cake Pops Video, and a GREAT Giveaway Opportunity!!

My photo of the finished cake pops

 

Fun during filming

The ideal holiday party has three main components:  great friends, a menu where everyone is asking for the recipes, and a festive atmosphere.  In my previous behind-the-scenes post, I showed you a little of what it took to make a video for Allrecipes and Kahlúa.  Here is the finished product, and this will be a recipe that everyone asks for!  Made with devil's food cake, chocolate frosting, & Kahlua, these chocolatey cake bites are decadent, perfectly portioned, and I can't wait to make them again.

In the Allrecipes video kitchen--here's a snapshot from the video

VIDEO LINK (read disclaimer to the left):  http://allrecipes.com/video/4103/kahlua-cake-pops/detail.aspx

RECIPE LINK:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kahlua-cake-bites/detail.aspx




These cake bites are fun, festive, and for adult parties only.  During the filming, we used regular base Kahlúa for these cake pops, but with the variety of Kahlúa flavors, the creations are practically endless.

I think these combinations for cake pops would be fantastic:

• Pumpkin Spice Kahlúa with spice cake and cream cheese frosting, coat with white chocolate
• Cinnamon Spice Kahlúa with chocolate cake, a dash of cayenne for heat, coated in white or milk chocolate 
• Peppermint Mocha Kahlúa with white cake, coated in dark chocolate







EXCITING NEWS!
Allrecipes and Kahlua are having a contest where you could win $5000!  Pin what makes your Holidays sparkle by December 10th for your chance!

Contest Link:  Taste the Spirit of Kahlúa Pin it to Win it!

Follow Kahlúa on Social Media:

• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Kahlúa
• YouTube: http://youtube.com/Kahlúavideo
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/Kahlúa/
• Tweet/Instagram @KahluaMidnight (https://twitter.com/KahlúaMidnight) 

Thanks for stopping in!  I'd love to hear about your favorite Kahlua recipes or stories!