One Crazy Cookie

My family loves smoked meat.  There is just something about the added flavor that makes the taste so incredible.  We have always wanted to buy a smoker, but couldn't find something that was in our budget.  I was so excited when Cave Tools  asked me if I wanted to review a smoker box.  When it arrived I was surprised how small it was, but after using it I discovered it is the perfect size. It's made out of stainless steel. It fits nicely under the grill grates. We tried it with charcoal briquettes and it did not work very well, but when using the gas it worked brilliantly. On the wood chip package it says to soak your chips before using them.  We discovered it worked much better with dry chips. We cooked hamburgers BBQ Chicken and Veggie Kabobs and my favorite just smoked chicken.  We did not even season the chicken. It was flavored strictly by the smoke from the smoke box and it was delicious. You can buy the Smoker Box directly from Cave Too

Happy St. Patrick's Day! St. Patrick's Day is one holiday that holds very special memories for me.   It was one of my Grandma McNee's favorite holidays.  I remember how much she loved it and how happy it would make her to celebrate the "green" day.  It was tradition that she always made her famous " Irish Cupcakes ".  They were so fun and oh so delicious.  No matter how old we were we looked forward to them each St Patrick's Day.   I have attempted to keep this tradition up with my own kids, but as life got busier and with a full time job, I have become a slacker in this area. Thankfully, my Sister Tayler took hold of the reins and kept the tradition going this year. Not only are they adorable, but it brings back such tender and happy memories.   You can find find this recipe for GRANDMA's IRISH CUPCAKES here . Tayler used t his recipe for the frosting. (My fave!!) Thank you Tayler for the little reminder of our incredible, amaz

I am a HUGE Taco fan.  I could eat tacos all week and never get tired of them.  My family on the other hand think I make them too much (once or twice a month is not too often).  So this was a great find.  The family absolutely loved it.  It had great flavor and provided my taco fix while satisfying my whole family.  It is now my favorite dish and there were no leftovers. Queso Taco Pasta From Picky Palate Queso Sauce 4 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup prepared mild salsa Beef Mixture 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 1 pound ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon  black pepper 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes, mild 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 Tablespoon lime juice 3/4 pound small pasta of your choice 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray