Diet Week #2

I really need to get my butt exercising more. I've lost the required amount of weight to reach my goal by my birthday but I haven't been working out. I know if I start working out everyday I will lose more then what I need to. And that is exactly what I want. I want to exceed my goals and everyone's expectations. I don't even think some people think I can do it. 

I made this amazing dinner last night and it was pretty healthy :)

I even made some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and resisted the urge to eat them all lol. I only have 3 yesterday and they weren't that many calories.

When I get paid next week, I am getting a gym membership so I hope that I will be able to go at least once a day 5 days a week.

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Sausage Ball Recipe

I absolutely love sausage balls. Someone always makes them at our church functions and my brother-in-law made them once. They are one of my favorite foods. And the awesome thing is they are so easy to make! :)

Ingredients:

1lb sausage, uncooked

8oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups Bisquick

4oz cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and bake for 202-5 minutes or until browned. 

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No Bake Peanut Butter Bars!

These are so delicious and they don't require any baking! perfect!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs(store bought are easier because you need them fine)

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup and 4 tbsp peanut butter

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioner's sugar and 1 cup of peanut butter until well blended. Press it evenly into a 9x13 ungreased pan. In a bowl melt the rest of the peanut butter and the chocolate chips, stir until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

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Cheesy Chicken Lasagna Recipe YUMMY!

I love this recipe. Lasagna is one of my favorite foods and this makes it taste even better that it is chicken!

Ingredients:

2-12oz cans of evaporated milk, not fat free

1-1oz packet dry ranch dressing mix

3 cups, cooked & cubed chicken

1/8 tsp pepper

12oz cooked lasagna noodles

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

First cook the noodles and the chicken at the same time. Rinse the noodles in cold water and set aside. Cube the chicken. Mix the evaporated milk and the ranch mix in a 3 quart saucepan. Put over low heat and stir until the dry ingredients are dissolved. Add the chicken and pepper and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes. Make sure to stir it frequently. Layer half of the noodles, chicken sauce and cheese in a 9x13 pan. Repeat layers a 2nd time. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

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Red, White, & Blue Cake Recipe

You don't have to make this cake red, white, and blue. I made it those colors for Independence Day :)

Ingredients: (need 2 separate mixes in 2 bowls)

1 cup sugar x 2

1/2 cup butter x 2

2 eggs x 2

2 tsp vanilla x 2

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour x 2

1 3/4 tsp baking powder x 2

1/2 cup milk x 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2- 9" round cake pans

In 2 medium mixing bowls, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. 

In separate bowls combine the baking powder and flour, then add to the cream mixture, and mix well.

Add the milk and stir until mixture is smooth. Add food coloring to the bowls for whatever colors you would like the cake to be.

Pour into the pans and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Ice the cake with vanilla frosting and add sprinkles for a little more festive color.

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Single Serve Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This is great to make when you're craving a chocolate chip cookie and don't want to go through the hassle of making a whole batch.

Ingredients:

1tbsp butter, melted

1tbsp white sugar

1tbsp brown sugar

3 drops of vanilla

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup flour

2tbsp chocolate chips

Mix it all in a mug or bowl and microwave for 40-60 seconds.

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Strawberry Cake Cookie Recipe

These strawberry cookies are really good and are so pretty. They would be great to make at valentines day since they are pink. 

Ingredients:

1 strawberry cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 vegetable oil

1/2 cup coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, mix together the vegetable oil and eggs. Add in the strawberry cake mix and the coconut. Roll the cookie dough into balls and place them about 2inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

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Coconut Pecan Cookie Recipe

OMG! Let me tell you these cookies are delicious. They are copy cats of the Harris Teeter Bakery ones. Except a heck of a lot cheaper and homemade :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter/margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 cup pecans

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and butter/margarine. Add the sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Beat until combines, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in the flour. Stir in, by hand, the coconut and pecans.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.

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Nutella Cookie Recipe

These are amazing! I love Nutella and these cookies just furthered my love for it :)

Ingredients:

1 cup Nutella

1 cup flour

1 egg

Combine together in a mixing bowl. Mix will be crumby. It won't be a gooey consistency.

Make balls of it and put it on the cookie sheets.

Now you can leave them in balls or you can squish them down with a spoon or fork. I squished them after they were baked but I think I would've rather have them stay in balls.

Bake 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees.

I think the next time I make them, I'm going to try putting some mini chocolate chips or maybe some mini marshmallows in them :)



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Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

These are simple and so cute to make. You can make them with the kids and they are a great quick dessert for holidays :)

Ingredients:

Marshmallows( I used the jumbo star-shaped ones)

Almond bark- white or regular chocolate

sprinkles-which ever ones you want to use

Melt the almond bark in the mircowave and stir until it is creamy and there are no chunks.

Put the marshmallows onto cut up skewers.

Dip part or all of the marshmallow into the chocolate.

Then dip it into the sprinkles.

They are ready to eat after about 5 minutes in the fridge :)



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How to Make Cheesecake Filled Strawberries

These are so delicious, I almost ate the whole batch when I made them LOL. You will definitely want to make these all the time. Especially since they are so fast and easy to make :)

Ingredients:

1lb strawberries

8oz cream cheese, softened

3-4 tsp powdered sugar, if you want a sweeter filling use 4 tsp

1tsp vanilla

graham cracker crumbs

To prepare the strawberries, cut off the tops and hollow them out with a paring knife if they aren't already hollow. Set them aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until its creamy.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag or a zip lock bag with one of the corners cut off.

Fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture.

Then dip the tops of the strawberries into the graham cracker crumbs.

Chill in the refridgerator before serving.

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2 minute Lemon Bar Recipe

These are so easy and quick to make and they taste delicious :)

Ingredients:

1 can lemon pie filling

1 angel food cake mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 cake pan.

Combine the angel food mix and the lemon pie filling a bowl and pour it into the cake pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown. As its cooling sprinkle powered sugar over top.

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New YouTube Channel

I wanted to let ya'll know I now have a YouTube channel. youtube.com/BlessHerCottonSocksL

So keep a watch on that. I'll post videos of Aubree, me making crafts, cooking and just sharing our life. :)



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Delicious Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This casserole is amazing for any meal not just for breakfast! I paired it with some biscuits and it was a great dinner!

Ingredients:

6-8 medium potatoes

8 eggs

2 tbsp milk

3 cups sharp cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup diced onions ( I left them out because I don't like onions and it tasted fine)

1 cup cooked diced ham, browned sausage or cooked and drained bacon pieces( I used 2 johnsonville smoked sausages and didn't worry about the amount, I just put it all in)

Cook the potatoes and cut them up into chunks.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

Spread the potatoes(and onions) evenly over the bottom of a greased 13x9 casserole dish.

Layer or mix in the meat you are using.

Spread the cheese over the top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.

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Homemade Cheese Cracker(Cheez-its) Recipe

These cheese crackers are incredible!!!! I think that they taste better then cheez-its!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (i used margarine because we didn't have butter and they came out fine)

3/4 cup flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes(if you don't like spicy I suggest cutting it in half or not putting it in at all)

1 tablespoon milk

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put everything except the milk into a food processor. I didn't have one so i used a blender which worked just as well. Pulse it for about 5 seconds for 5 or 6 times, until the dough is coarse crumbs.

Add the milk and pulse until the dough forms a ball.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about an 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut the dough into 1-inch squares using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Put a little bit of flour onto the blade so that it doesn't stick to the dough.

Use a toothpick or the flat end of a skewer and poke a hole in the center of each square.

Place the crackers about 1/4 inch apart on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Bake them for about 12-15 minutes until the edges start to brown.

You can store them in a covered container to eat within a day or two.



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How To Make 5 Minute Berry Cobbler

This is seriously the best tasting cobbler I have ever had in my entire life!!!

This is a really easy and quick dessert that tastes amazing. It can cook while you are eating dinner and it'll be warm for dessert time.

Ingredients:

1 can of sprite

1 box of cake mix, I used yellow cake, but you can use white or french vanilla

1 bag of mix berries

Grease a 13x9 pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the berries on the bottom of the pan evenly.

Then sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the berries. Make sure to use the whole bag.

Pour the can of sprite over the cake mix slowly. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the soda. It will not make the crust if you do.

Bake it for 45-50 minutes or until the crust starts to brown.

Don't worry if the crust still has some cake mix that wasn't touched by the sprite. It is supposed to look like that. Serve with some vanilla ice cream for an amazing dessert :)

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Berry Mean Smoothie

This is a variation I created of all those smoothies that have the spinach in them. I tried it this morning and I thought it tasted so good, I'm making myself one every morning from now on.

Ingredients:

2 handfuls of baby spinach

1 cup frozen mixed berries

1 banana

1 cup milk

1 cup of yogurt

1 cup pineapple

Put it all in the blender and mix it well.

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Quinoa Mac & Cheese Recipe

This is a healthy side dish that would go great with any type of meat.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained

veggie of your choice(optional)

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

2 cloves of minced garlic

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

panko bread crumbs to sprinkle on top

First, sautee the veggies that you want in the recipe.

Cook the quinoa to the packages directions.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 casserole dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk.

Mix the quinoa and the rest of the ingredients into the egg mixture. Combined it well allowing some of the cheese to start melting.

Transfer the mix into the 13x9 dish and sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the bread crumbs are browned.



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How to Make Panko Crusted Tilapia

Ingredients:

Tilapia- as many fillets as you want

panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.

Put the panko bread crumbs into a zip lock bag.

Take a tilapia fillet and stick it in the bag of bread crumbs and shake it up.

Now pour a little bit of olive oil into a saucepan. And put the stove to medium heat.

Take the tilapia and lay it in the pan. And fry it til it is cooked thru.

I served it with quinoa mac and cheese and it tasted amazing and was a healthy dinner. :)



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