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Chocolate Salty Balls

Saturday, December 31, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

For today's post, I am going to share with you my most raved about recipe from Christmas dinner.  For those of you who have never watched South Park, you may not find the name nearly as humorous as some of us.  They are not at all what he describes, though one of these days I'll have to try those, too... When I was making the colored ones, I did not have enough white chips, so I used a small handful of butterscotch chips, too.  It was awesome.  The video, by the way, is not at all appropriate...

Labels: appetizer, chocolate, dessert, peanut butter, pretzels 0 comments

Orange-Teriyaki Chicken with Green Beans

Thursday, December 29, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  Tonight was one of those nights were I realized suddenly that nothing had been taken out for dinner, and I had a child coming home that needed to be fed before his karate class.  So, something quick and simple and light so as not to weigh him down too much before his class.  Chicken is always our standby for this.  Quickly defrosted and stir fried, it is all three of those qualities in one tasty package.    I decided to go with an orange teriyaki combination. ...

Labels: chicken, dinner, easy, green beans, orange, quick, stir-fry, teriyaki 0 comments

Cream Cheese & Spinach Gyoza

Thursday, December 29, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  A while back I had bought a package of gyoza wrappers.  They had been sitting in my freezer, and I happened upon them while going through looking for something-or-other.   I decided it was high time to use them, since I was currently in supply-o-plenty of cream cheese and spinach.  I already knew what I wanted to do with them- which, if you hadn't guessed- was fill them with cream cheese and spinach.  But, I wanted to bake them instead of fry them.  I hate frying stuff.  It's...

Labels: appetizer, cream cheese, gyoza, spinach, wonton 0 comments

Chicken Perkelt

Wednesday, December 21, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

   I think I've mentioned this before, but we eat a lot of chicken in our household.  My kids' favorite is just a basic poached chicken and rice or noodles.  However, you can only do that so many times before it starts to get boring.  I had forgotten to take anything out yesterday, so we knew it was going to be chicken and rice again, but I wanted something a bit different.  I didn't want to make the same 'ol same 'ol.   So I searched through some websites...

Labels: chicken, dinner 0 comments

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

Yesterday I got a baking bug and made another Caramel Apple Cheesecake and another Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie.   Our family is in nummy-love with those two desserts, I think.  And the kids just discovered how easy it is to make the homemade caramel.  I have a feeling I am going to have to stock up on sweetened condensed milk, butter, and brown sugar now!!  The recipe for the gingersnap pumpkin pie calls for just one-half cup of canned pumpkin.  In my last stock-up...

Labels: baking, chocolate chips, cookies, dessert, pumpkin 0 comments

Giveaway

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

   It's not my own giveaway, but one I wanted to let you all know about anyway. Stephanie O'Dea is giving away 18 really neat looking books / dvds right before the holidays.  Many of them incorperate gluten-free, dairy-free, and / or sugar-free recipes.  Since I've been wanting to try some gluten free recipes, and am really thinking it's time to start cutting out refined sugars, this would be great.  Great gifts for the chefs in your circles, too!    So...

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

Friday, December 02, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

 I decided to bring the desserts for Thanksgiving this year.  I was mostly inspired by some absolutely to-die-for sounding recipes that I wanted to try, and seemed perfect for the occasion.  This was one of them. The list of ingredients and directions seems long and complicated.  It took me a bit to get to this one, because of that dauntingness.  However, once broken down into the steps, it really wasn't that big of a deal.  It might have helped that I had help (thank you, Boyfriend 'O Mine)! Let...

Labels: apple, caramel, caramel apple, cheesecake, dessert, pie, Thanksgiving 0 comments

Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Cookies

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  Another dessert item I decided to take with me for Thanksgiving were these little cookies.  Okay, they really aren't little, but they sounded interesting none-the-less.  I needed to use up that big ol' can of pumpkin I had opened, and who doesn't like snickerdoodles?  Ingredients: for cookies: 1 cup butter, softened 1&1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2&3/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons cinnamon and 3 teaspoons sugar...

Labels: baking, cookies, dessert, pumpkin, snickerdoodles, Thanksgiving 0 comments

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

Monday, November 28, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  Pumpkin pie is a huge staple of Thanksgiving dinners.  Really- how often do you not see pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving?  It's blasphemous!      I, however, get tired of having the same thing over and over again.  It becomes mundane and boring.  When I signed up to bring a dessert, I knew that a pumpkin pie would not only be expected, but that I might very well get shot if I didn't!  Not wanting to do the same thing again though, I began searching for a twist on the traditional...

Labels: cookies, dessert, gingersnap, pie, pumpkin, pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving 0 comments

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Thursday, November 24, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  A cheesecake I wanted to make for Thanksgiving called for caramel.  Well, I thought I would be snazzy and make my own at home.   When I got around to it, I realized I did not have enough of the heavy cream to make it.  Frantic, I searched for an alternative.  I knew you could make caramel using just a can of sweetened, condensed milk, however, I did not have the hours necessary to make it.   While scouring the Internet, I came across this recipe.  It...

Labels: caramel, dessert, sauce, toppings 0 comments

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Sunday, November 20, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  I have always wanted to make fresh bread, but have always been highly daunted by it.  The thought of having to knead, punch and let it rise just right always scared me enough to keep me at bay.   It was one of those things I always told myself I would get to- one day.    Then my boss brought in some fantastic homemade bread for Homemade Bread Day (which is November 17th, by the way).  I had expressed to her my desire and she shared with me this unbelievably easy recipe, which was...

Labels: artisan bread, artisan bread in five minutes a day, baking, bread 0 comments

Banana Bread Squares

Saturday, November 19, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  I have a love affair with banana bread.  It may not seem that way, because I do not make it often, and when I do, most of it is usually thrown away, uneaten.  Despite this, I do love banana bread.  However, I've also been searching for ways to use up those old, rotting bananas that my family will also enjoy.  Enough so that I am not throwing the majority of my work down the trash can's gullet at the end of a couple weeks.  You'd think I'd have grown more acquainted with my freezer, and I...

Labels: almonds, baking, banana, bread 0 comments

Zuppa Toscana

Sunday, October 30, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  I recently joined a produce co-op called Bountiful Baskets.  It's one of those "pool your money and everyone gets some stuff" places.  This past Saturday was the first time I participated and picked up my bounty.   It was pretty awesome.  For $10, I got a laundry basket full of stuff.   A bag of potatoes, a bag plus 2 loose onions, lettuce, kale, melon, bananas, beets, apples, kiwi, mushrooms, tomatoes, and strawberries.  Pretty good haul. But then the question arose. ...

Labels: kale, Olive Garden, potatoes, sausage, soup, zuppa toscana 1 comments

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

Saturday, October 29, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

I am a fan of broccoli. I am in heart with broccoli. Pour some cheese on it, and it's mouth ecstasy. Imagine how excited I was to find this recipe! I added cooked, diced chicken breast to it.  It was delish!  Even my boyfriend liked, it, and he hates cottage cheese.  Easy and tasty = a definite keeper! Ingredients: 3 eggs 1 cup cottage cheese 1/2 cup cheddar cheese 3 tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons salt dash of pepper 2 packages (10-ounces each) frozen broccoli (I added 2 boneless, skinless chicken...

Labels: broccoli, casserole, cheese, side dish 0 comments

Blueberry-Pineapple Loaf

Sunday, October 23, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

   Hmm..  This sounded good, in theory.  However, I am not sure I am pleased with the final product.  It may be that one hour is a bit too long for my oven.  It may just be the consistency of the bread.  Either way, it is a bit tough... not soft and chewy like I would expect a bread like this to be.   Also, the pineapple is a bit overwhelming to the other ingredients.  I could not taste the blueberrry at all.  For having so much pineapple and blueberries in it, I expected...

Labels: blueberries, bread, pineapple 0 comments

Pumpkin Cake Muffins

Saturday, October 01, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  I found an absolutely easy and fabulous sounding recipe online a few weeks back.   Two simple ingredients that many households already have on hand:   a box of yellow cake mix, and   a 15-ounce can of pumpkin.    I had both.  :) I only had one of the huge cans of pumpkin, so I guesstimated on half. Combine.   Bake at 350*F for about 20-25 minutes.  The batter is super yummy.  I'm hoping the muffins are as well.  I'll let you know...

Labels: baking, cake, easy, muffins, pumpkin 0 comments

Sweet Hawaiian Rolls

Sunday, September 18, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

   A friend of mine's daughter had her birthday yesterday.  She requested a luau themed party.  Unfortunately, the 85 degree weather did not stick around, and the day was met with a 30 degree drop, along with wind and rain.  Regardless, we had a grand time, with fabulous food, good friends, and a nice warm fire to congregate around.   The party was potluck style, and since the meat was all being provided, I was hard pressed to find something to bring that would fit...

Labels: baking, bread, hawaii, rolls, yeast 0 comments

Bread/Muffin Base Mix

Sunday, September 18, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  While perusing stuff to bake on Taste of Home's website (I use the crap out of that site!), I came across this recipe for a basic bread mix.   It is a base for making different types of non-yeast breads.   This particular recipe mentions blueberry, zucchini, and cinnamon breads.  It has a great base batter, and shows you how to divide it so as to make a mini-loaf of each type.  In my household, I've found that muffins go over better than breads, so I used a standard...

Labels: baking, blueberry, bread, muffins, zucchini 0 comments

Apple Zucchini Loaf

Thursday, September 01, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

   It's that time of year when zucchini is aplenty in our gardens.  That happened to be the case with a friend of mine, who handed over two huge zucchinis to me.  I knew right away I'd be making zucchini bread.  Since I suddenly had so much of it, though, I decided to experiment a little.  I found a few different recipes, and will be making a few different types, so I have a bit of variety!    This recipe for Apple Zucchini Loaf comes from Taste of Home's website.  I made...

Labels: apple, bread, garden, zucchini 0 comments

Coconut Almond Muffins

Sunday, August 21, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

 This morning I got a baking hair up my butt, so decided to make these.   The recipe has been taped up to my kitchen cabinet for a few months now.  I was looking at it while refilling my coffee cup, and realized I had all of the ingredients, especially that sour cream, which needed to be used before it went bad.  I grabbed all my little containers and began to make a mess.     The recipe says it yields 6 muffins.  I used my standard 12-cup pan and had just enough batter to do...

Labels: almond, baking, chocolate chips, coconut, muffins 0 comments

Un-Sloppy Joes

Thursday, August 18, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

Tonight's dinner was Sloppy Joes.  This is the first time I've ever made them from "scratch".   I got this recipe from Taste Of Home.   I didn't have any onion powder, so I just used a crapton of garlic powder.  The sauce came out very thick, so if you are a fan of that (I kind of am), then you will be pleased with this.  It was kind of sweet, but not too much.  I liked it.  My daughter (11) did not, but my son (14) did, although he didn't eat a bun.   My boyfriend...

Labels: dinner, food, hamburger, sloppy joes 0 comments

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cups

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 | Publish by Thaydra

  Is there really any better way to start off a food blog than with cheesecake?  How about Oreo cookie cheesecake?  How about Oreo cookie cheesecake cups?  Do I have your attention yet?  These little morsels are a cupcake-wrapper full of heavenly sin.  As a matter of fact, in the time it took my boyfriend to take these delicious pictures, I had devoured 3 of these bad-boys.  I will pay for that on the treadmill later, but my-oh-my are they worth it.     I guess this...

Labels: baking, cheesecake, cookies, cooking, dessert, food, Oreos 0 comments
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Welcome!

My name is Thaydra, and I am not a chef, or a cook, or a baker, or even really domesticated yet. I am a mom, though, so I do need to prepare food on occasion. I started this blog to keep track of all of the thousands of recipes that I have.


So many times I try something, and think "Oh my, that sucks!" or "Hmm... this would be good with [insert ingredient here]!" or "Holy cow, that is delicious!!!". But, after months of not touching the recipe, when I go back to it, I can no longer remember which of those categories it fell in.


Here, I hope to keep track of the different recipes I try, and their outcomes. I can keep notes on what I would do different, or if one kid liked it, or (miracle) both kids like it... And you can add your own notes, too, if you have any!

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    • ▼  December (7)
      • Chocolate Salty Balls
      • Orange-Teriyaki Chicken with Green Beans
      • Cream Cheese & Spinach Gyoza
      • Chicken Perkelt
      • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
      • Giveaway
      • Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
    • ►  November (5)
      • Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Cookies
      • Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie
      • Homemade Caramel Sauce
      • Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
      • Banana Bread Squares
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      • Zuppa Toscana
      • Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
      • Blueberry-Pineapple Loaf
      • Pumpkin Cake Muffins
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      • Sweet Hawaiian Rolls
      • Bread/Muffin Base Mix
      • Apple Zucchini Loaf
    • ►  August (3)
      • Coconut Almond Muffins
      • Un-Sloppy Joes
      • Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cups

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