Down Home Cooking Recipe #05 - Ranch Chicken Calzones

One of my favorite grocery stores is Trader Joe's. Those who are not familiar with this chain, it is a small grocer focused on organic and healthy foods. This past week I found one of the best finds there.... Pizza Dough for $1!

They had three types, plain, whole wheat, and garlic herb. I picked up two packages of the garlic herb to make calzones for my family and parents for Father's Day. These were a HUGE hit, inexpensive to make and ooh so GOOD!

Servings Size: 4 Calzones

What You Need:
1 pkg (20oz) garlic herb pizza crust
2c cooked chopped chicken
2c cooked chopped broccoli
1/4 ranch
1 egg
1 tsp onion powder
2 garlic cloves minced
1c mozzarella cheese shredded
1c provolone shredded
1/2c butter
1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning (Italian seasoning will work)

How to Make:

1) Preheat oven to 450 (f). Grease baking sheet. Divide pizza dough into 4 parts, rolling out four 8in circles.

2) In a large bowl whisk egg, onion powder, 1 tsp pizza seasoning, and minced garlic. Stir in ranch, chicken and broccoli. Mix in cheese.

3) Spoon mixture into center of each dough circle. About 1 cup mixture each. Fold over dough and seal. Cut 2 small air vents on the top of each calzone.

4) Melt butter in microwave. Mix in remaining pizza seasoning. Brush butter mixture onto each calzone.

4) Bake the calzones for 15 minutes, re-brush with butter, then put in for 5 more minutes or until outer calzone is lightly brown and crunchy. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.


You can change the fillings as fits your taste. For the less picky eaters in my family I enjoy serving a roasted red pepper, spinach, and fresh mozzarella pizza.

Down Home Cooking Recipe #04 - Amazing Truffles

This is a family favorite my grandma use to make them for Christmas every year, now I make them along with 6 other candies for all our friends and family. You can find these truffles in bakeries for .75 a piece. You can make a batch of 50 for less than $4! Whats even better you can change the flavors and coating to suit your needs.

I made 500 brown and pink of these truffles to serve at our dessert buffet at our wedding. They were a HUGE hit! 

What You Need:

1 (8oz) package of softened cream cheese

3c confectioners' sugar

3c chocolate chips (you can use any type: white, caramel, dark, etc.)

1 1/2 tsp flavoring (examples: vanilla, raspberry, orange, mint, etc.)

1/4c sprinkles (you can also use powdered sugar, chopped nuts, or you can dip them in almond bark)

How to Make:

1) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add in confectioners sugar until smooth and blended. 

2) Melt chocolate chips in 30 sec intervals, stirring occasionally until smooth. Mix in with cream cheese and sugar. 

3) At this point you can divide the mixture to make various flavors from one batch. Add flavoring to each batch. Stir until well blended.

4) Refrigerator for an hour. Roll into balls, then roll each ball into sprinkles or any other coating.

Keep Refrigerated

How to Clean Out A Microwave

While cleaning a microwave on a daily or even weekly basis is not a problem, this post is for those who have neglected their microwave until it seems like quite a task to clean it out. Keeping your microwave clean is very important to keep your food safe and tasting good. 

One important thing to mention is to make sure that you don't use any harmful chemicals in your microwave. I don't ever use anything in my microwave that I would not use on my dishes.

Anyway back to the tip. The best way to start is to mix 2c. water with 2 tbsp. of white vinegar and 1 drop of dish soap in a glass container, such as a glass measuring cup. Put the cup in the microwave for 4 minutes. The water mixture should boil over. Let sit in the microwave for several minutes. The steam/vinegar mixture will loosen any caked on junk in your microwave.

Dip a washcloth in the water mixture and wipe out the microwave. Everything should wipe off very easily and deodorize. For additional cleaning/deodorization power sprinkle baking powder inside before wiping down.

Down Home Cooking Recipe #03- Best Ever Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are a household favorite; they disappear almost as quick as it takes to bake them! What is even better is I always have the ingredients on hand and they are easily adaptable. You can omit the cream, pudding and white chocolate chips, or add raspberry extract or jam like thumb print cookies. Whatever your tastes take you, they turn out great. Like a soft, moist brownie fresh out of the oven. YUM!

Yield: 36 servings

What you Need:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg of chocolate pudding
• 2 tbsp cream (I use my hazelnut creamer)
• 2 eggs
• 1 16oz pkg white chocolate chips 

How to Make:

1) In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and cream. 


2) Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, pudding and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Add White chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. 


3) Roll into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. You can flatten the cookies with a fork at this point, but is not necessary. Bake at 350 degrees (f) for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. 

Simple & Elegant Summer Centerpiece

This is a simple and inexpensive centerpiece that can be used in spring or summer for less than $5. You can also easily change the color pallet to match the space, your dishes, or your decor.

What you will need:

Various Sized Vases

Food or other coloring

Small Rocks

Silk Flowers

How to Make:

In the bottom of your vases put about half an inch layer of rocks. Add water one inch from top. Put in desired amount of coloring. Stir. Add a floating (some will sink) silk flower to the top.

This centerpiece is so easy and inexpensive that it can be used for unexpected guests, outdoor parties, or as an simple centerpiece on your dining room table.

Down Home Cooking Recipe #02 - Cake Balls

This past Christmas I decided to give out candy tins to all our neighbors, family and friends. With having to make about 30 tins full of candy I went on a search for easy recipes that yielded a lot without breaking the bank. 

I stumbled across this recipe, which is wonderfully adaptable to any taste and design. I made two types: Birthday Cake Cake and Frosting with White Chocolate Coating and Dark Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting and Chocolate Coating (It tasted just like Hostess!). This coming 4th of July I am thinking about making red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting with white chocolate coating with blue/red stripes! 

What is really great about this recipe is that it makes about 50 candy pieces for under $3. 

What You Will Need:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared  frosting
• 1 (3 ounce) bar of confectioners coating or almond bark
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• How to Make:
• 
  
• 1) Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done let cool for 30 minutes, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended. Place mixture in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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• 2) Melt chocolate coating in glass bowl in microwave, or in a double broiler over the stove, stirring occasionally until smooth.
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• 3) Roll the dough into grape size balls using a melon baller or your hands. Dip the balls in melted chocolate coating using a toothpick or fork to hole them. Place on wax paper to set. 
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• 4)Once set drizzle the top with offsetting color coating or while the coating is still setting you can add sprinkles.

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Beautiful Craft Supply Holders for Under $1

How many times have we all gone on a search for that elusive writing utensil or found a drawer full of craft scissors? It is hard to keep crafting supplies and writing utensils organized in a drawer, but who wants to have mismatched pencil holders throughout the house corralling all your items?

This is a great idea that I came across while trying to organize all my crafting items. What's even better is that it can be easily changed to match your space and it costs under a dollar to make!

These match my purple, silver, and white craft room.

What you will need:

Empty can
Scissors
Glue Stick or Rubber Cement
Ruler
Scrapbook paper that matches your decor
Spray Paint (Optional)

How to Make:


Before you start, you can decide whether or not you would like to spray paint the inside and outside of the can first. It adds a nice touch if your holder is going to be placed below eye level. 


1)Measure the space between the lips of the can. Make a straight line on your scrapbook paper according to your measurement. Cut.


2) Glue stick or rubber cement the entire cut portion of your paper, paying extra attention to each of the ends. Carefully wrap your scrapbook paper around the can, pressing it against the can as you go.


3) Let dry for up to 24 hours. Place your beautiful, perfectly matched holder, and enjoy!