One Crazy Cookie

This is one of my favorite go to soups! Trust me the picture does not do it justice.  It is a very flavorful and delicious soup. It is quick, simple and pretty cheap, especially if you soak your own beans.  I know it is not soup season, but my sister has been wanting me to get this recipe up for awhile now. So here you go Candice.. White Ham 'N' Bean Soup 3 cans (15 1/2 oz.) great northern beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup carrots, diced 1/2 cup onion, diced 2 Tablespoons butter 3 cups water 1 1/2 cups diced ham 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 bay leaf Mash one can of beans then  place everything in the crockpot, mix and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.  *If you want a quicker version: Saute the onion and carrots in the butter until slightly tender in a large saucepan. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until heated through. Remove bay leaf. **I love it if I have a ham bone to throw in the cr

 If you are a Club member, you can recognize the value of buying Cheerios® cereal at your local Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s. While buying Cheerios at Club is already easy and affordable, new 2 box Cheerios packaging format makes Cheerios an even better purchase! You can cheer on the value by purchasing the new 2 box Cheerios packages in Club!   What’s so exciting? New 2 box Cheerios contains two individual boxes, making them easier to store and easier to pour! Not to mention… By reducing the amount of air in each individual bag, these enhanced containers fit 10% more cereal than before and use less packaging While each box contains more cereal, packaging material has been reduced by over 200,000 lbs, saving 1,000 trees and taking 130 Cheerios trucks of the road, decreasing CO2 emissions You don’t have to take our word for it, check out all the benefits of new 2 box Cheerios packaging  here . New and improved 2 box Cheerios are now available on the shelves of Costco, Sam’s Cl

My son is headed into his final track races of his high school career.  He's put in the work and discipline now it is my job to help fuel him for these races.  I cooked this recipe up last week and the kids and I enjoyed this one very much!  It was light, delicious and a good changed from the normal red sauce we  normally put over our pasta.  I adapted it a bit to use what I had on hand. Pre-Race Chicken-Veggie Pasta from Kitchen Scoop  8 ounces penne pasta  2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-light olive oil, divided use  1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)  1 cup sliced carrots (2 Large)  1 cup thin asparagus spears pieces(about 1/4 pound)  1 cup French green beans*(about 1/4 pound beans)  1 cup sliced zucchini (1 medium)  1 cup sliced yellow squash (1 medium)  2 cloves minced fresh garlic, or to taste  1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast thinly sliced cutlets*, defrosted if frozen  Salt and pepper to taste  Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste  Bring

This is the perfect pre-Mother's Day post.  I've shared with you before what an amazing cook and woman my mom is! She is the perfect example of everything I strive to be! So I am excited to share with you her and my sister's latest creation.  I love that it is a lightened version of regular nachos. Chicka' Nachos 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (they used canned chicken) 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed 3/4 cup salsa diced tomatoes shredded cheese diced olives tortilla chips ranch dressing or sour cream (and anything else you like on nachos!!) Place the chicken, black beans and salsa in a frying pan. Stir together until heated through. Layer chips, chicken mixture, shredded cheese, tomatoes and olives.  If desired drizzle with Ranch dressing or sour cream. Can't wait to try this one out!! Happy Mother's Day to my MOM and all you Mom's out there!!

This year Teacher Appreciation week came on an already CRAZY week so I was left scrambling for something cute to give my kids teachers.  Thankfully my friend Erin over at Making Memories with Your Kids came through for me once again!!  She always has amazing things to share!! This is a darling and clever way to say THANKS! This very clever idea came from Nothing But Country . She has tons of great ideas!! The tag says "Thanks for being a lifesaver this year." Filled some bags with Lifesavers added the tag and done!! I think they turned out so cute!! Thanks  Making MemoriesWith Your Kids , Nothing But Country  and all the TEACHERS who make the world of difference!!

My family loves lemon bars and I tend to forget that fact until we are able to taste one at an event.  I finally broke down and surprised them in more ways than one.  These bars are so delicious and the huge surprise is that they are also light.. that's right, it tastes awesome with less calories!! A total homerun in my book!! Luscious Lemon Bars from scrumdiddlyumptious Crust:  1/4 cup vegetable oil  1/4 cup granulated sugar  1/4 tsp. salt  1 cup flour  1 1/2 tsp. fat free milk Filling:  1 egg  1 egg white  1 cup granulated sugar  2 tsp. grated lemon peel  3 T. fresh lemon juice (about the juice of 1 lemon)  2 T. flour  1/2 tsp. baking powder Drizzle:  3/4 cup confectioners sugar  1 T. fat free milk  1/2 tsp. vanilla  1/4 tsp. grated lemon peel Heat oven to 350. Oil bottom of 8-inch square pan lightly. For crust, combine 1/4 cup oil, sugar and salt in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.  Add flour and milk.  Stir with spoon until well mixe

I found myself craving Mexican food once again, but wanted something a little different.  So this is what I came up with.  They were simple to make and a huge hit with the family! Especially the daughter who is really sick of normal tacos.  She couldn't stop raving about them! Taco Buns Makes about 20 buns bread or biscuit dough 1 pound hamburger 1 packet taco seasoning 1/2 cup onions, diced 1 small tomato, diced 1/2 cup olives, sliced 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Brown hamburger and onions. Drain if needed.  Mix in the taco seasoning and water according to the package directions.  Stir in the tomatoes and olives.  Flatten out a piece of dough and top with some shredded cheese and about 1 Tablespoon of the meat mixture. Fold dough up around the mixture ans seal tightly. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and rub the tops with butter. Enjoy!! This recipe is v

Whether you’re striving to watch your weight or simply helping your family to add more vegetables in their meals, with a little help from Green Giant® finding a delicious way to mix up your diet routine can be easy and convenient! Available in a wide variety of flavors, there are nearly 30 varieties of Green Giant® frozen boxed vegetables endorsed by Weight Watchers®, including offering that feature decadent sauces and tasty seasonings. Available in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store, Green Giant is the only frozen vegetable brand to be endorsed by Weight Watchers®, and nearly all endorsed varieties have a 1 or 2 PointsPlus® value per serving Click here to download quick and delicious recipes that incorporate Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, with most coming in between only a 1 and 4 Weight Watchers® PointsPlus® value per serving - from “Broccoli and Chicken Topped Potatoes” to “Quick Corn and Black Bean Soup,” this wide array is sure to sati

I've been wanting to make these for a long time! Finally decided that no better time than the present.  Actually very simple and so much better than the ones in the box.  They did not last very long at my house.  Homemade Pop Tarts pie crust dough (I used the boxed refrigerated dough) jelly or jam Frosting: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-2 Tablespoons milk 2 Tablespoons butter pinch of salt Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut your dough into squares. Add a small amount of jam in the middle of a rectangle. Spread the jam just a little bit and top with another piece and seal with a fork around all the edges. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Start checking at 12 minutes. Remove from pan. Mix up the frosting. Soften butter, mix in powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, vanilla and pinch or salt. If needed add the additional 1 Tablespoon milk and food coloring if desired. (it will be a